In The Summertime
by MsChipper
Summary: Adapted from 10 Things I Hate About You and Taming of the Shrew in this all-human AU, Xander attempts to find the one guy in college who would be willing to go out with Buffy Summers, the girl no boy dares or want to date, so that he can court the girl of his dreams, her younger sister, Dawn. Will he be able to succeed? Or will all plans fail and complete chaos ensue?
1. Ch 1–Promises in the Dark

**Author's note:** First time posting on FF and I'm certainly open to reviews, constructive feedback, etc. Thanks for reading!

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><p><em>Never again, isn't that what you said?<em>

_You've been through this before_

_An' you swore this time you'd think with your head_

_No one, would ever have you again_

_And if takin' was gonna get done_

_You'd decide where and when_

_Just when you think you got it down_

_Your heart securely tied and bound_

_They whisper, Promises in the Dark_

_~ Pat Benatar ~_

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><p><strong>Chapter 1 – Promises in the Dark <strong>

Buffy Summers pulled into the parking lot and sighed as she turned the keys to the ignition of her beat up olive green SUV, killing the pained wailing of Pat Benatar's _Promises In The Dark_ on the radio as she did so.

"Still riding the geek machine, I see. And ugh, that wailing sounds like a banshee screeching. Like, seriously? How can you enjoy that? It's like the music of pain!"

Buffy looked over to the passenger side window and saw the source of her morning's grievance. Cordelia Chase shook her head while resting her arms comfortably on the open car door window.

"Good morning to you too, Cordy, and just FYI, they call that banshee screeching classic rock." Buffy deadpanned, sliding off her sunglasses, and then promptly sliding them back on as Cordy's bright blue and yellow sleeveless summer dress practically blinded her eyes with its cheeriness.

Cordy raised an eyebrow in disapproval and gave a derisive snort. "You know, you used to be a lot of fun back when you were normal, Summers. What in the world happened? It's like you're a total freak now. And FYI, no one listens to classic rock anymore. At least not the cool people, anyway."

And with that, she pushed away from the car window and sashayed coolly up the steps leading into the main building. Buffy gathered her books and bag, but stayed in the car until she was sure Cordy was out of sight.

"You wouldn't know good music even if it bit you in the ass, bitch." Buffy muttered, slamming the car door harder than necessary.

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><p>"So Mr Harris, it wasn't easy getting your transfer done, but we did it. And, as head of the Admissions Committee, let me start off by saying welcome to our beloved Sunnydale State University. I'm sure you'll soon find yourself right at home here at SSU."<p>

The woman in the smartly tailored cream colored dress suit wore her hair in a short bob and despite her professional appearance, looked too young to be a professor. She smiled pleasantly from her side of the mahogany desk, and Xander nodded tentatively in reply. His gaze darted quickly towards the bronzed nameplate engraved _Professor Jenny Calendar_.

"Thanks, Professor Calendar, I'm extremely thankful to be here. And please call me Xander." He croaked, knowing that the only reason his transfer was successful was because of his Uncle Rory's connection to his old college buddy, Uncle Sam, otherwise known as Professor Finley, head of the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering at SSU.

"It's a real pity that the major program got cut at your old college, but hey, their loss is our gain, right?" she asked in a friendly tone, chocolate brown eyes twinkling.

"I have to agree with you there." Xander nodded in agreement, his enthusiasm sorely lacking. Unlike the lively professor, he couldn't seem to find much joy in his situation. He couldn't stop worrying about whether or not he was going to be able to fit in at the new college, whether he would be able to handle all the new course work, and most importantly whether he would be able to make any friends here at all. It wasn't as if he had much luck juggling all those things at his old college, but to do it all over again from the beginning was a lot more daunting than he was willing to admit.

As though she could read his thoughts, Professor Calendar added, "Well, since you didn't get a chance to attend our annual Orientation program, I'm assigning you to one of our third year students who also happens to be one of the key members in our Orientation Student Committee. He's just the right guy to help you get acquainted with everything here."

Xander was about to protest when there was a knock on the door.

"Ah! Speak of the devil," she beamed, "that must be him."

Her eyebrows raised in delight. "Always right on time, _and_ he's super smart. Two wonderful qualities I love to see in our students!"

"But Professor Calendar, I really don't…" Xander attempted to politely object again.

"Come in!" she chimed in a louder voice, clearly ignoring him.

The door opened and Xander twisted in his chair to see a ginger haired guy enter the room. The spikey ends of his faux-mohawked hair were dyed black, and as he got closer, Xander noticed that the newcomer wore a maroon tee-shirt emblazoned with the word DINGOES in bold gold font underneath his forest green hoodie jacket. He couldn't help but think that the other student looked more like he belonged in a rock band than at college.

"Good morning, Daniel!" The professor stood up from her seat and placed both hands on her hips.

"Good morning Jenny." The red haired student replied politely with a curt nod, and then turned to Xander. "You're Alexander, huh?"

"Yup, that's me, otherwise known as Xander to my peers." Xander got up from his seat and shook his hand. "Nice meeting you, Daniel."

"Call me Oz, please. Only the professors and my parents call me Daniel." He offered with a lopsided grin.

"Oh, uh, okay." Xander nodded with his own grin.

Oz turned his attention back to Professor Jenny and began chatting about some committee business. Xander took the opportunity to watch the two, tuning out what they were saying. Observing Oz, Xander was amazed at how this exceptionally laid back looking guy could actually according to the Professor, be both punctual and smart.

Distracted by his observations, Xander only managed to catch the last part of their conversation.

"…not wrong, I think his first class doesn't start till ten, so I'll be leaving our new kid on the block here in your good hands for now, please play nice and try not to let the other guys chew on him too much ok?" She half joked, while walking back to her seat.

"Hey, nice as a baby wolf here, Professor, it's all good." Oz responded quietly, holding both palms up in mock surrender.

"Baby wolf, huh? You know, that actually suits you very well." She agreed affably. Glancing at the screen of her laptop, she grimaced, "Wish I could say the same about the rest of my schedule today though. It doesn't look nice at all."

"Speaking of schedule, Jenny, I actually came here with William. He said he has a meeting with you later?"

The professor glanced at her watch and raised both her eyebrows in surprise. "Woah, who knew he could actually be punctual?"

"The effects of hanging out with a baby wolf, I would surmise." Oz offered sagely.

Jenny laughed, "Ok, Daniel, Xander, thanks for making my morning a good one so far. We're pretty much done here, thanks."

The boys responded with their own thanks, and started heading out the office.

"Oh Daniel, could you do me a quick favor, and get William to come in now since he's early?"

"Okay, I'll let him know, Professor Calendar." Oz nodded and closed the door to her office. "Come on, Xander, let me buy you a coffee."

"Oh, no, it's okay, really. You don't have to," Xander replied, following the other student's lead towards the exit.

"My next class is in two hours anyway." Oz shrugged. "I got time."

When they arrived at the end of the corridor, Oz pushed the door open and called out to another guy who was leaning back lazily against a pillar, with one knee bent back so that his boot covered foot rested low on the pillar. He was in the middle of smoking a cigarette and talking to someone else when he turned his head towards them. Xander could see how Oz and this guy were friends, since he too looked more like he should be in band than in college.

"Jenny's ready to see you, Spike."

"Alright, cheers mate." The ash blond replied in a British accent.

Xander took in the sight of the Brit as they got closer. His short cropped hair was styled in messy spikes and he was dressed from head to toe in black from his boots to his skintight tee-shirt. The only other color he wore was the silver on the rings on his fingers and the bracelets on his wrists. Spike sucked in one last breath of smoke before he flicked the cigarette to the ground. He casually stomped on it with his boot, twisting once to extinguish it before heading towards them.

"So….is he like the Spike to your Oz?" Xander asked hesitantly, wondering what the deal was with all these guys and their aliases.

"You mean if he's like the William to my Daniel?" Oz replied with a question.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Yeah, you got it right."

"Okaaaay. Very eloquently put, indeed." Xander remarked dryly, before quickly adding, "So are they like stage names?"

"Well, I don't know about Spike, but I've preferred to be called Oz since I was a kid." He shrugged nonchalantly.

They stopped in their tracks when Spike reached them.

"See you at The Bronze tomorrow at six?" The blonde raised a scarred eyebrow in query.

"Yeah, okay, I gotta pick Willow up first anyway." Oz grinned at the mention of his girlfriend. "And since you're here, let me introduce you to the new kid."

Spike rolled his eyes and glanced over at the geeky looking brunet, he never understood why Oz bothered being so helpful. "Hello, new kid." He said gruffly for the benefit of Oz.

"Hi. And wow, I sure felt the love there." Xander replied sarcastically.

Oz smiled, enjoying how the two seemed to be hitting it off so well already. "His name's Xander, Spike. And Professor Calendar said not to chew on him too much."

"Oh, trust me, I wouldn't even dream of it." Spike snorted with disgust. "Would love to stay and chat with you kids, but I'd better be off now before _she_ decides to soddin' chew me up for being late or whatever it is that's got up her overbearing arse."

As Spike sauntered off, Oz raised his eyebrows at Xander, almost apologetically.

"He's just a big ball of sunshine, isn't he?" Xander beamed with mock cheeriness.

"Just give the man some time." Oz grinned, "He's really not so bad once you get to know him. And besides, it's his first year in the graduate program. I guess he's just a little nervous about the whole thing."

"Which program is that?"

"Think he got onto Musicology." Oz stated simply, like it was not a big deal at all.

"What? That…that Billy Idol wannabe guy? No way. You can't be…I mean, you're joking...right?" Xander spluttered. He couldn't believe that someone like Spike could actually be smart or talented enough for such a program.

"Seriously, dude, I'm not."

Xander found himself dumbfounded by that piece of information. So much so that he couldn't bring himself to ask any more questions until they got their coffees from a nearby kiosk. Settling down on one of the nearby tables, Xander took a sip of his brew before finally asking Oz about his conversation with Spike earlier. "So, what's going on at The Bronze tomorrow night?"

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><p><strong>Chapter summary:<strong>

Hope you guys liked it and thanks for reading. Do leave your thoughts if you've got any. :)

I also strongly encourage you to view the song with lyrics to get a good sense of this chapter's theme - search youtube for watch?v=Vd621WrVTI0 (sorry, FF doesn't allow me to post the entire URL here!)


	2. Ch 2–If It Kills Me

_Well all I really want to do is love you_

_A kind much closer than friends use_

_But I still can't say it after all we've been through_

_And all I really want from you is to feel me_

_As the feeling inside keeps building_

_And I will find a way to you if it kills me,_

_If it kills me_

_~ Jason Mraz ~_

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><p><strong>Chapter 2 – If It Kills Me<strong>

Xander's left foot tapped to the beat of the song uncontrollably as the melody drifted faintly across from the little radio at the back of the kiosk. The tapping stopped abruptly when out of nowhere, a girl with red shoulder length hair that curled in at the ends, hopped into the chair next to Oz and swiftly gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Mornin' hot stuff, what's up?" she grinned saucily.

"Hey you," Oz beamed back at the girl. "We're just enjoying our healthy morning beverages."

The girl who was dressed in a baby blue cable knit cropped jumper with a pair of skinny red jeans and matching blue ballet pumps, wrinkled her nose in an adorable manner. "Coffee is a healthy beverage, huh?" She mused, stealing a sip from his cup.

"Breakfast drink of champions." stated the other red head at the table with a straight face. "And while I love to bask in your presence, what are you doing here in my neck of the woods? Weren't you supposed to go to the bookstore or something like that?"

"Hmm, yeah, the plan is still on but since I'm early, I thought I might get lucky and catch you in the act of your daily coffee ritual."

"And caught me you did." He gave the girl a warm tender smile, obviously pleased that she knew him so well.

They exchanged a brief glance of affection before she nudged Oz gently, "So are you going to carry on making your friend uncomfortable with all our lovey dovey-ness or are you going to introduce us?"

The girl then looked over at Xander and offered a kindly smile.

"Will, meet Xander the new kid. Xander, meet Willow, my quirky but extremely wonderful girlfriend." Oz offered the second part of the introduction with pride.

Willow blushed slightly at her boyfriend's praise but still managed to give Xander a little friendly wave. "Well, nice to meet you, Xander."

"Nice to meet you too, Willow." Xander responded with his own little wave and a polite smile.

"I was just telling Xander about our thing at The Bronze tomorrow." Oz said, starting a comfortable flow of conversation between the three of them as they enjoyed their coffee. Grateful for the un-awkward and relaxed atmosphere, Xander was relieved that aside from Spike, the people he'd met here seemed really nice so far. For the first time in a while, he felt hope blooming in his chest, the possibilities suddenly seemed endless. _Maybe I could even get myself a girlfriend some time this decade!_ He thought in amusement.

Unfortunately, before he was able to dream up any images and opinions of this hypothetical future girlfriend, a loud cheery ringtone interrupted his thoughts.

"Oh, that must be her!" Willow straightened her posture and sat upright, picking up her cell phone from the table. She took a quick look at the caller's face displayed on the screen before hitting the answer button.

"Hey _chica_," Willow chirped sunnily. After a pause, she began scanning their surrounding area, turning her head from left to right, and back again, "Uh huh, yeah, I know I promised we'd go to the bookstore together - but where the heck are you?"

Oz joined in the search and within ten seconds, he had found who Willow was looking for. He gently tapped his girlfriend's shoulder and pointed in the direction behind Xander.

"Okay, we found ya! Don't you dare move a muscle, missy! I'm coming to get you." Willow hurriedly ended the call and stuffed the phone back into her bag.

"Gotta run people, bye Xander, it was nice meeting you!" she waved at Xander and easily hopped out of the chair.

"Bye Willow." Xander waved back with a smile.

"And I love you, my sweet Ozzy." She beamed at Oz and bent down to give him a full kiss on the lips before running off in the direction he had pointed.

Xander twisted around his chair and watched Willow run towards a girl who squealed in glee when she saw the red head. As they hugged excitedly and started walking away together, Xander found his gaze uncontrollably drawn towards the other girl, mesmerized by the way she tossed her luscious long brown hair back behind her shoulder, her mischievous smile and her bright blue eyes illuminating with mirth as she giggled conspiratorially alongside Willow.

"Hellooooo, Earth to Xander?" Oz called out, noting the way his new friend's eyes glazed over while watching the girls.

Xander's head snapped back to face Oz again. "Who _is_ that girl with Willow?"

"That's Dawn Summers." Oz couldn't hide his knowing smirk. He could almost see the wheels turning in Xander's brain.

"And why is that funny?" Xander's eyes squinted warningly. "Spit it out, Oz."

With a tilt of his head, he raised one eyebrow, "Hmm, you sure know how to pick 'em."

"What do you mean? Don't tell me she's got a boyfriend." There was a brief pause before he hastily added, "Or she's gay."

"No, none of that, but you're still going to need lots of luck if you're thinking of asking her out."

Not that he actually thought he stood a chance with the girl, but Oz's statement now got him curious, "Why do you say that?"

The red head chuckled, "Well, I know this is going to sound unbelievably weird, but Dawn and her older sister have this no-dating rule they strictly adhere to thanks to their mom."

Xander's brows furrowed in disbelief, "But this is America, and we're in college, the perfect place and time for freedom, sex, drugs and rock and roll. How is that possible?"

Oz shrugged in equal puzzlement. "I just know that Dawn's got into a lot of trouble last year and her mother's ultimatum to her was that she had to stay out of it this year – which includes the no-dating policy. It's either that, or get kicked out of the house and never come back again."

"Ouch." Xander winced in mock pain. "That seems a little extreme."

"Tell me about it." Oz rolled his eyes. "Buffy, Dawn's older sister, has been living with that rule ever since they moved here."

"Sounds like mom doesn't trust her kids at all, huh? What did she do to deserve that?"

"Well, Buffy was accused of…umm….kind of…setting fire to the gym during her final year at her high school, so she got expelled."

"So she's like a teen arsonist?"

"No, not at all, but it was an accident involving a couple of other students…Anyway, that's why her mother wanted to move them out here and impose all those rules on her."

"Holy cow, talk about getting stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time…" Upon hearing her story, Xander couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the other Summers girl.

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><p>Buffy twirled the pen carelessly between her fingers, rolling her eyes with boredom as she listened to the Professor drone on and on about the rich history of Shakespeare and the glories of the Elizabethan Age with all the enthusiasm of a sloth. She sighed in disappointment and tried not to slam her head against the table. She had expected her road to an English degree to be more interesting than this.<p>

As her Professor turned to write something on the board, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She had the distinct and creepy sensation that she was being watched.

She leaned back in her seat and stretched her back a little, pretending to casually twist her neck so she could scrutinize the lecture hall. It didn't take her long to catch Parker Abrams two rows below, sitting diagonally across from her. He was openly looking at her, or her _legs_, to be more precise, with a pervy leer. She dropped her spinning pen onto her notes, and glared at him angrily with disgust and irritation. She fought her first instinct to pull her black bandage skirt down to cover her thighs and began to regret this morning's wardrobe choice, if it meant allowing that piece of scum an eyeful of her legs, or any other part of her body for that matter.

Oddly enough, once upon a time, Buffy would have been thrilled at the prospect of being the focus of Parker's interest, but she had already learnt her lesson about college boys the hard way and would've gladly punched him in the nose for looking at her like that if they weren't in a room filled with a hundred and fifty other people.

Parker looked straight at her and winked brazenly. She scowled in reply and resisted the urge to give him the finger before turning her attention back to the Professor, wishing he could let them go off early for once instead of overrunning like he usually did.

When the time finally came to release the students from his excruciating sermon, Buffy gratefully sent a thank you prayer to the gods above that she was conveniently sitting near the end of her row and hurriedly flew towards the exit before Parker could even get out of his seat.

Muttering several colorful expletives under her breath, Buffy's eyes were cast downwards as she stalked to her next class. She couldn't help but get mad not only at Parker, but at herself for allowing that jerk to affect her so much. Deeply engrossed in her own emotions and thoughts, she failed to notice the person walking towards her in the opposite direction and practically bulldozed into him, the force of the impact knocking him backwards while she fell on top of him.

"Oh, bloody hell!" the other person yelled in a blur of books and notes flying everywhere.

Buffy yelped in surprise as they tumbled to the floor. She had not only managed to knock over and fall right on top of someone, but also, to her horror and mortification, the huge, brick-heavy textbook that she had been carrying had fallen out of her arms and scored a direct hit on her unfortunate victim's face.


	3. Ch 3-Love Interruption

_I won't let love disrupt, corrupt or interrupt me  
>I won't let love disrupt, corrupt or interrupt me<em>

_Yeah I won't let love disrupt, corrupt, or interrupt me anymore._

_I want love to, walk right up and bite me  
>Grab a hold of me and fight me, leave me dying on the ground.<em>

_And I want love to, split my mouth wide open and  
>Cover up my ears and never let me hear a sound.<em>

_~ Jack White ~_

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><p><strong>Chapter 3 - Love Interruption<strong>

Making his way to the library, Spike was practicing his own version of the song in his head when what felt like a human sized cannon ball travelling at light speed collided with him. He registered a blur of sunny blonde and a high pitched yelp, followed by an array of books and notes flying in the air before a monstrous textbook scored a direct hit on his face.

"Oh, bloody hell!" he yelled in shock; thankfully his reflexes were quick enough, allowing his hands to fly up to protect his face, and he scrunched his eyes while turning his head to the side as the thick hardcover smashed into some of his fingers and his left cheek.

A second or two passed in silence before he groaned in pain, "Holy mother of all….oh, fu..." He was pretty sure something was broken or sprained somewhere.

Adding insult to injury, the cannon ball itself added more weight by pressing onto his chest, causing a sudden stab of pain in his bruised ribs.

"Oi! Watch it!" He felt a pair of small hands clutch at his shirt and hissed at the added pressure.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" she squeaked, moving off him and removing her hands in a flash. When Spike didn't reply, she gingerly removed the textbook from his face. Buffy knew she'd certainly outdone herself this time. She could now proudly add murder to her rap sheet, and it'd be all over the news, "Former teen arsonist murders fellow student on college campus". Her mother would not be pleased with this, to say the least.

Spike could make out the shadow of his attacker moving in front of the bright overhead lights but he left his eyes shut for a few extra moments, the pain in his body prohibiting him from moving.

"That's gonna look really bad in a few hours." Buffy cringed apologetically. "You might wanna get that checked out." She kneeled by his side, close to his chest. She could see a reddish bruise already starting to form on his cheek.

She scowled at the passing students who were giving them a wide berth.

"What are you looking at?" she threatened the nearest one. The random girl's eyes widened in fear and she scurried off.

Buffy looked back down at the platinum blond who was now inching his head slowly over to her side.

"Do you want me to take you to the nearest hospital? You might have a concussion."

She watched in trepidation as he opened his eyes and Buffy found herself almost falling into the stormy blue glaring up at her. Despite the look of fury he was giving her, his angular jaw clenched tightly, making his cheekbones look sharp enough to cut glass, and his nostrils flared ever so slightly, she didn't fail to notice how gorgeous he looked with his perfectly carved features, even with the bruise forming on one side of his chiseled cheek.

Spike was admittedly amused to find that the cause of the collision was a cute, petite blonde with big hazel green eyes staring down at him. While he probably would have tried to flirt with such a girl under normal circumstances, Spike felt like he had to give this particular chit a piece of his mind about public safety.

"Do you always speed around with your head stuck up your arse?"

Although Buffy knew she sort of deserved that, she still bristled at his hostility.

"To be fair, you could've easily avoided me if you were actually looking where you were going, you know."

Spike pushed himself up into a sitting position now, one hand tentatively touching his swelling bruise, biting back a cringe as he did so. "Are you kidding me? You were like bloody Road Runner there, bolting from that stupid coyote. I didn't stand a bleedin' chance!" He shook his head, amazed at her audacity as he collected his fallen books and notes and stood up straight.

Okay, it was probably a bad idea to stand so quickly, he admitted to himself. Maybe he did have a concussion afterall. He leaned against the wall for support. His head felt light and he could see white spots dancing in front of his eyes. He squeezed his eyes shut until they faded away.

Buffy also gathered her things from the floor and stood up with him. She watched cautiously with an expression that was a cross between guilty and indignant.

"Look, I said I was sorry," she tried again. "Just let me take you to the doctor or something."

He held one hand up to stop her. "I'll be fine. Just do us all a favor and don't slam anyone else's face in with that textbook of yours, okay?

"Okay." She pouted dejectedly, which Spike actually thought made her look really adorable. "Unless they're named R.J. Brooks, that is, then I'd probably also throw in a knee to the balls bonus on top of a textbook slam to the face."

A small smile tugged up one side of his mouth and he raised a curious eyebrow at her.

Buffy smiled sheepishly and shrugged, "Dude got a little too handsy at the Spring Fling party last year."

Spike gave a small chuckle and casually pushed himself off the wall, ready to resume his journey to the library. He gave her a playful wink and said in a smooth tone, "I'll see you later, kitten."

She blinked as she watched him swagger off casually, not quite sure what she was feeling.

* * *

><p>Dawn looked at the scoop of the alleged macaroni and cheese in the ladle and grimaced. It looked far from any mac and cheese she ever had. In fact, it didn't look anything remotely pasta or dairy-like for that matter. It was really more like a disgustingly soggy, sloppy, possibly radioactive mess of luminescent orangey-yellow goop.<p>

"Yeah, that's definitely not up to the standards of the culinary institute of good mac and cheeses." The guy standing in line behind her in the queue helpfully informed.

Dawn looked back and smiled at her fellow lunch diner, "Yeah, thanks, I can definitely see that." He grinned cheekily at her and she thought he looked rather cute with that boyish smile and messy dark hair.

"Do you trust me?"

"What?" Dawn narrowed her eyes in mild suspicion.

The guy laughed and shook his head.

"If you trust me, then you'll just go with the garlic roasted potatoes. Of course, you might get garlic breath but at least you can count on them in the taste buds department." He winked.

Dawn raised her eyebrows and picked out a small garlic roasted potato before moving further down the line and randomly picking food that seemed at least edible. "So you're the self-proclaimed food critic of the cafeteria?"

"Nah, just been here long enough to know better is all." He shrugged as he picked out his own items along the trays of cuisine. "You must be one of the newbies, huh?"

Dawn could feel her cheeks flush in mild embarrassment and silently hoped that she wasn't blushing too much. "Gee, that obvious, huh?"

"Nah, just never seen you before." He smiled warmly. "I would've noticed you by now if you weren't new here."

"Well, flattery will positively get you everywhere." She laughed quietly. "You can call me Dawn, by the way." she stuck her right hand out in a friendly gesture.

He chuckled and shook her hand in return. "Nice to meet you Dawn, I'm Parker. And um, I really hope I'm not being too forward here, but if you got the time and you're not meeting anyone for lunch, would you like to have it with me?"

Dawn felt her smile widen slightly.

* * *

><p>"You know, if you really want to get to know Dawn Summers, you could hang out with us tonight at The Bronze. There's a good chance she and her sister might be there since Willow asked them to come along and provide her some moral support." Oz took a bite out of his sandwich, observing Xander with mild amusement as the brunet looked jealously at Parker and Dawn; the two were having what seemed like a most enjoyable lunch break at the other end of the cafeteria.<p>

Xander made a face at the suggestion. "Uh, okay, moral support for what exactly?"

"It's going to be our first night performing at The Bronze so she's worried she'll have to beat all the other girls who're going to throw themselves at members of the band, especially the lead guitarist."

A bark of laughter escaped Xander. "Thanks man, I mean, I'd love to but I don't know if I want to listen to the Bleached One screaming his lungs out and killing my ears. No offense to the rest of the band, of course. Especially the lead guitarist, I'm sure he's really good." He quickly added.

The lead guitarist of said band just shook his head at his friend. "It's a small price to pay if it gets you ahead of Parker Abrams. And to be fair, the Brit does have a great voice. Dude can sing the freakin' phone book and make it sound good."

Xander rolled his eyes at the probable exaggeration.

"Hey, just keepin' it real, Xand." Oz shrugged. "And FYI, if you can't already tell, Parker's got a bit of a rep for being a player, so consider yourself duly warned."

"Thanks but shouldn't you be warning Dawn about that jerk?"

Oz just shook his head again. "It's not really my place, is it? Anyway, even if I did try to tell Dawn about Don Juan there, what makes you think she'd listen to me?"

"It doesn't seem right for us not to do anything though."

"Oh, I never said I wasn't going to do anything. Willow and Buffy are definitely going to hear about this."

Xander noted the suddenly serious tone of Oz's words and frowned, not liking the idea of Parker and Dawn together at all.

"If it helps at all, Dawn's really into dancing."

"Huh?" Xander's eyebrows furrowed. "Like with the music and the swaying, you mean?"

"Yep, exactly like that."

"Oh well, that's just fan-_freakin_-tastic!" Xander's eyebrows shot up as he grinned zealously, his arms flung into the air haphazardly.

"You're a dancer too?"

"Sure I am. You know what they used to call me back in high school? Tango the Terrible." The grin on his face turned into a grimace.

Oz didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for the guy.


	4. Ch 4-Landslide

_Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?  
>Can the child within my heart rise above?<br>Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?  
>Can I handle the seasons of my life?<em>

_Well, I've been afraid of changing_  
><em>'Cause I've built my life around you<em>  
><em>But time makes you bolder<em>  
><em>Even children get older<em>  
><em>And I'm getting older too<br>_  
><em>~ Fleetwood Mac ~<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4 - Landslide<strong>

"Hey Mom, could we talk for a bit?" Buffy stood at the doorway of the kitchen, leaning against one side of the frame.

Joyce smiled brightly, turning the red portable radio off before taking a seat at the counter. She patted the bar stool next to her. "Sure honey, what's up?"

Buffy bit her lower lip as she joined her mother, taking the other seat. "It's about the Study Abroad Program I was telling you about a couple of weeks ago."

"Oh, Buffy, I already told you that I didn't think it would be a good idea. I really don't like that you'll be far away in some strange foreign country all by yourself." Joyce frowned in disapproval.

"I know you…didn't want me to, but my professor said that this would actually be a very good experience for me since I'm doing so well, so I just kinda…umm…went ahead and submitted my application for a single semester abroad," she said the last part of her sentence with a mild cringe.

She watched her mother's expression range from shock to disappointment to anger in a few seconds and when it looked like she was about to voice her objection, Buffy hastily beat her to it and spoke first, "Mom, I totally know that you think I'm not...mature or responsible enough, but I've been doing well ever since we moved here, don't you think? No more starting fires, no more inappropriate boyfriends, and best of all, no more hanging out with badass girls who could totally beat up grown men.

"And I'm not even staying at the dorms, so you know, no worrying about evil influences from roommates or…or dorm mates rather, and even my GPA is within a healthy range, so really, I'm like a perfect model college student!" Before her mother could interrupt, Buffy gulped in a deep breath and gushed on.

"There are only a handful of students that will get picked for the program, so this will be definitely be good for me if I get lucky enough to even be selected, you know? I mean, I love you tons mom, but I hope you can understand that this is something I need to do for myself." She ended her speech with a pout and pleading puppy dog eyes at her mother.

Joyce sighed, wondering if maybe her daughter was right and she was being just a little bit of an overbearing mother. She knew Buffy had made great efforts to turn her life around, but she still couldn't help the nagging apprehension at the back of her mind. "I…I really don't know, Buffy…You'll be so far away from us and if anything happened to you, how…"

Just then, Dawn bounded in from the front door, skipping and humming, practically floating into the kitchen. Mother and older daughter turned their heads to stare at her in surprise.

"Hellooooo my dearest family," she greeted in a sing-song voice, dancing and spinning about in the kitchen.

"Well, hello to you too, pumpkin." Joyce smiled; glad to see at least one of her daughters in a good mood.

Buffy folded her arms and raised an amused eyebrow. "So I take it that it's been a good first week so far, huh?"

"Yeah, I'd definitely say so." Dawn grinned, grabbing the orange juice carton and pouring herself a big glass at the kitchen island facing her mom and sister.

"It wouldn't be because of the interesting classes now, would it?"

Joyce frowned but remained silent, curious as to what Buffy was trying to get at. Dawn moved in slow motion, taking her time to put the carton back in the fridge, her back against the older Summers women who were still watching her.

"I know he seems nice and all, but you really shouldn't hang out with Parker, Dawnie."

Dawn spun around before her sister even finished her sentence and shot daggers at her from across the kitchen island.

"It's none of your business, Buffy, and just because you can't seem to control yourself around other people, doesn't mean I'm that way too. Besides, it's not as if we're dating, we're just friends."

"Right, that's opposed to you being able to control yourself around nice and shiny pretty things in a store."

"Shut the hell up. You know I don't do that anymore. It was just a stupid phase!"

"Girls," Joyce warned. "Let's not do this. Buffy, I'm sure Dawn isn't dating this boy she's just met, and she understands the rules perfectly well enough to know better."

Buffy rolled her eyes, she knew Parker better than the rules. Ignoring her mother, she continued questioning Dawn, "But he's asked you out by now, hasn't he? And you've probably already said yes."

Dawn bit her lower lip but continued glowering at her older sister.

"Dawn," Joyce started gently, attempting to keep the peace while still finding out the truth. "Has he asked you out on a date?"

"Yes. But I told him I'd think about it, that's all!" She spat in clipped tones, barely containing her rage towards Buffy, with her jaw clenched angrily. She could've told one little white lie to her mother so she could go out on her first college date, but the plan was magnificently ruined now thanks to her older sister's meddlesome interference. She couldn't understand why Buffy had to ruin her life all the time just because she was having a hard time handling hers and miserably wondered what she'd done in her past life to deserve such a freak for a sister.

Joyce understood that Buffy was just trying to protect Dawn, but unfortunately, her youngest was at that precarious age between adolescence and adulthood where she thought she was mature enough to make her own decisions and judgments, and that no one else would know better.

Buffy started to say something about Parker and before long, both sisters were arguing loudly in the small kitchen. The mother of two sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew she had to put a lid on it before the drama between her daughters got out of hand.

The eldest Summers smiled as an idea started to form in her head, a resolution that would solve the problem with both her girls, at least temporarily. "Alright, the two of you," she called out firmly, "that's enough!"

Her daughters, who were both yelling at the same time, stopped in mid-sentence and turned their heads warily towards their mother.

"Okay, as much as I hate to admit this, the both of you are entering into the age of adulthood, and so this no-dating rule may not necessarily work now as well as I thought it would."

Dawn started to smile in hope, while Buffy's jaw dropped slightly in disbelief.

"So we're going to have a new rule in this home. One that I feel is probably fair enough for the both of you." She looked back and forth between her two offspring, her darling girls who were growing up much too fast for her liking.

"Great, let's hear it then." Dawn folded her arms, giving a smug look at Buffy before turning back to her mother.

"Well, instead of enforcing the no-dating policy, I think it's about time I become more…open-minded, shall we say? So with that in mind, I think it's only fair that Dawn can start dating…"

"Yes!" Dawn squealed. "What? No freaking way!" Buffy exclaimed. Both sisters expressed at the same time.

"Hold on, I'm not done yet. As I was saying, Dawn can only date…when Buffy starts dating as well."

There was a moment of silence, before Buffy's face broke into a wide grin. "Oh mom, you're an evil genius." She chuckled.

Joyce gave the slightest hint of a smile to her eldest. She knew Buffy well enough to know that since she was planning on going overseas to do her Study Abroad Program, the chances of her getting into a relationship at this point was highly unlikely.

All eyes turned to Dawn who wore a deadpan expression at this new rule. "Are you people kidding me? Why does everything, including what I want to do, have to be about Buffy? Urgh, this is so...idiotic and unfair!" The youngest Summers stomped out of the kitchen and went to her room, muttering furiously under her breath.

When they heard the bedroom door slam shut, Buffy smiled and shrugged, "So…looks like my chances of going for that program are pretty good now, huh?"

Joyce sighed but admitted to Buffy, "It was a tough call but yours was the lesser of two evils, I suppose."

Buffy raised her eyebrows and rolled her eyes, "Hey, as far as I'm concerned, you made the right choice, mom. I mean, at least my hormones weren't on parade."

* * *

><p>While Oz and the rest of the band were busy preparing for their performance later, Willow got a table by a more private corner that was away from the crowds but still gave a good view of the stage. She was sipping on her rum and coke when she spotted Xander looking around. The red head waved at him when he turned towards her and he smiled in relief before walking over to her table.<p>

"So, you decided to join us after all, huh?" She grinned knowingly, her green eyes twinkling with glee.

"Oz told you about the…umm….my...uh..." Xander ducked his head in mild embarrassment, one hand running through his hair before he tucked it into his jeans pocket.

"Your rather huge crush on Dawn?"

"Well, it's not _that_ huge." Xander insisted while taking the seat next to her.

Willow raised a single eyebrow at him that read, _seriously?_

"Okay, fine," he admitted. "It's quite a major crush, but it's no biggie, really. I'm so used to crushing on a girl and then getting royally rejected by said girl that it doesn't really hurt my feelings much anymore. So y'know, it's fine, really."

"Geez, pathetic much?" Willow frowned and shook her head in a mixture of pity and disapproval.

"Hey!" Xander held up his palms in defense, "I know I said it doesn't really hurt my feelings much, but it doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt at all!"

Willow rolled her eyes. "What I mean is that I'm sure you're a total babe magnet, Xander. You shouldn't beat yourself up about it too much. You just need to learn how to be more confident and not to say the wrong things to a girl that you're trying to impress."

Xander snorted, "Yeah, see, that's the part I'm having trouble with."

"Well, don't worry too much about it buddy, I'll help you." She winked conspiratorially. "Buffy and Dawn will be here soon and I'll introduce you to them. Just leave the first part of it to me and you'll be golden."

A small smile escaped Xander and he nodded in gratitude. "Thanks, Willow."

Before Willow had a chance to say more, someone yelled her name from afar. They looked up to see the two sisters coming towards them.

Buffy was dressed in a cute little blue-gray strapless dress with a pair of silver ankle strap stilettos, while Dawn wore a black halter tank top with a red leather skirt that ended just above the knees and completed the look with a pair of black knee length boots. Xander was amazed at how different these two looked from each other now that they were walking side by side. He could see that at least from the outside, they were extreme polar opposites in almost every way.

Aside from outfit choices, Buffy was tan and petite in built. Her wavy blonde hair that fell just past her shoulders practically bounced with every step she took. And while her look seemed to be the epitome of a typical Cali girl, her younger sister couldn't have been furtherer from that identity.

If Buffy was the sun, then Dawn would be the moon. Her skin was fair to the point of being milky white and she was much taller despite being the younger of the two. Her straight brown hair was styled to one side, letting it fall over her left shoulder, flowing in a thick panel that ended just past her waist, Xander thought her look was reminiscent of a dark haired femme fatale.

"Dawnie! Buffy!" Willow got up from her seat and hugged the girls excitedly. "Thanks for coming, my favorite singles ladies!"

"We wouldn't miss this for the world, Willow!" Dawn beamed, returning the hug. Her eyes glanced over at Xander and she bestowed a brief smile on him.

Xander grinned back and tried hard not to let the absolute happiness show too much on his face.


	5. Ch 5–Ten Feet Tall

_I'm clumsy, and my head's a mess  
>Cause you got me growing taller everyday<br>We're giants in a little man's world  
>My heart is pumping up so big that it could burst<em>

_Been trying so hard not to let it show  
>But you got me feeling like<br>I'm stepping on buildings, cars and boats  
>I swear I could touch the sky<em>

_Ohhh ohh ohhh  
>I'm ten feet tall<br>Ohhh oh ohhhh  
>I'm ten feet tall<br>_  
><em>~ Afrojack featuring Wrabel ~<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5 – Ten Feet Tall<strong>

After the girls hugged it all out, Willow introduced the sisters to Xander, followed by strategically making Dawn sit beside him, which meant that Buffy had to sit with her back to the stage while she was sandwiched between Willow and Dawn. For a moment, Willow was afraid that Buffy might've complained about getting the lousiest seat, but oddly enough, she didn't seem to mind it at all.

"This is quite the shindig, Will! Oz must be super thrilled with the turn out tonight." Buffy chirped in an unusually cheery mood. Without even going to the dance floor, she was already boogying on the spot to the progressive house cum dance-pop track that was playing, bobbing her head to the beat and lip syncing the lyrics.

"Thanks Buff, and yeah, Oz tries not to show or say too much about it, but I know he's pretty optimistic about tonight." She smiled with pride at the mention of her boyfriend. It had been a few months since the band played anywhere due to their lead vocalist, Devon's sudden decision to leave.

"I mean, it's been a while since they've been back on stage but I'm happy to say that the revamp and change in front man has been for the better. Because, let's be honest, Devon is definitely no Beyoncé, so that whole _I'm-going-solo_ prima donna stunt he pulled? Ugh, so not appreciated." Willow commented with a tilt of her head and flip of her red hair, in her best diva impression. It helped that her satin green shift dress gave her a bit of glam factor.

Buffy laughed and nodded in agreement, but Dawn just gave a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Willow frowned at the slightly despondent brunette, "What's wrong, Dawn?"

The younger Summers simply shook her head, "Nothing. I'm fine, Willow." The red head noticed Dawn and Buffy exchanging a brief look and decided not to pry further, at least for the time being.

"So who's the new front man?" Dawn asked, falsely cheerful, steering the subject away from herself.

"Oh, just wait till you see him." Willow raised her eyebrows in eagerness. She fanned herself with one hand for emphasis.

"A total wake up and smell the hottie type, huh?" Dawn grinned, eyes widening in anticipation.

Xander rolled his eyes and silently prayed that Spike wasn't Dawn's type.

* * *

><p>"Is it always this packed with the hordes of natives?" Xander yelled over the music and the other people surrounding them on every side.<p>

"Not usually, no!" Buffy shook her head and shouted back, wishing that Dawn hadn't had the sudden urge to go to the little girl's room earlier. At least her sister was tall enough to see above this crowd. Buffy felt like she was being drowned by the sea of bodies crushing her in every direction. Both of them had to push and shove their way through just to get to the bar.

Once they neared the counter, she clung to the back of Xander's striped blue and white shirt like a lifeline while he fought the other patrons to get his order through to the bartender. The Dingoes had a relatively loyal fan base in town and it appeared that they were all out in full force to show their support tonight.

While they tried to get drinks for the rest of the group, the band started to come on stage. The petite blonde breathed a small sigh of relief as the crowd gradually began to shift, and some of them started to move away from the bar as they gathered on the dance floor just in front of the stage.

Xander turned around suddenly and shoved a drink in each of her hands, preventing Buffy from even attempting to look over her shoulder to where the stage was. "Hold these and wait here while I get two more. Be careful not to spill them, 'cause I really don't want to reorder these!"

"Good evening everybody, we're Dingoes Ate My Baby and we're totally stoked to be here tonight!" Oz's voice rang out across the club loudly and clearly over the mike. In response, there were appreciative hoots, cheers, and applause from the audience.

Buffy held the two glasses obediently and tried not to let all of the pushing and shoving slosh out too much of the liquid. Since she couldn't see the band, she keenly focused her attention on Oz's voice.

"As some of you know, we've had some changes to the band, so I'd like to sincerely thank those who've stuck by us and given us your encouragement and love during that time. And now that the crisis is over, I'm glad to introduce to you the Dingoes' new front man. Give it up for Spike, people!"

Buffy could hear the crowd go wild. The ladies especially were screaming their lungs out. She tried to twist her head around to catch a glimpse and sighed when she realized that she was still too far to see much of the figures on stage and unfortunately her height, despite the high heels, still put her at a great disadvantage.

At this time, Xander turned around with two drinks in his own hands and signaled with a twitch of his head in the other direction. She let him lead the way and followed him back on the hazardous path to their table. While she concentrated on protecting the precious cargo, she heard a mellifluous and vaguely familiar voice speak over the mike.

"Evenin' everybody, let's start off with something a little fun, shall we?" His rich baritone and the way he said the words made her feel like she could be soaking herself in bathtub full of comfortingly warm and gooey dark chocolate, all indulgent and deliciously sinful. "This is our version of the classic record, _In The Summertime_ by Mungo Jerry."

Buffy figured that he must've done something after he said that because the crowd, particularly the female portion of it, were cheering and screaming even louder than before. The music started to play with the keyboard, guitar and drums falling into the easy rhythm and she found herself already liking this upbeat rock version of the song.

And just when they managed to make it back to their table, it hit her. She knew who that voice belonged to! Granted, she never got his name, she knew without a doubt they had met before! That British accent combined with that deep tone and intensity. She distinctly remembered how he'd called her kitten and gave her that annoyingly cheeky wink before casually strolling off. Slamming the drinks down on the table, she whipped around and easily spotted the platinum blond she had bulldozed into earlier playing the guitar at the front of the stage with the mike stand right in front of him.

"Oh. My. God…" She deadpanned in astonishment. From her better vantage point at the table, she could even see the bruise on his cheek so generously given by her textbook. She found it rather funny that the shiner didn't stop him from looking like a sexy rock star. If anything, it made him look like a badass. Well, that and the way his all black tee shirt, jeans, and boots combo was showing off his lean physique as he swaggered and moved about on stage, like a tiger on the prowl. Now she knew what all the girls were screaming about.

Buffy watched with wide eyes as he sauntered back to the mike stand. Grabbing the mike with one hand, he sang into it, repeating the sound effect several times in tune with the song, "Chh, chh-chh… _uh_. Chh, chh-chh…_uh_."

She gulped nervously. Somewhat stunned at how she presently found the expression "uh" to be one of the most erotic things she'd ever heard. She had no idea how a person could make that sound so raw and sensual. The way he sang that line like a suggestive sexual grunt, and each time it was accompanied by a subtle thrust of his hips.

"I…I thought this was supposed to be like a fun, happy, sunny song." She heard Dawn murmur in shock somewhere nearby.

"Oh, this is certainly fun, alright," Willow replied knowingly.

She couldn't tear her eyes off the stage, until she felt Willow come up beside her. Being mildly smug about it, the red head asked her best friend, "He's certainly a change for the better, huh?"

"Uh huh." Buffy nodded dumbly. "And I actually met the guy this morning."

"What?" Willow yelped indignantly. "You met a hottie and didn't tell me?"

"Well, more like I injured him to be honest." Buffy cringed as she looked over at Willow briefly.

Her eyes widened in mild surprise, "_You_ gave him that nasty bruise?"

Spike started to sing and Buffy turned her attention back to the stage quickly, leaving the question unanswered for the time being.

"_In the summertime when the weather is high  
>You can stretch right up and touch the sky<br>When the weather's fine  
>You got women; you got women on your mind<br>Have a drink, have a drive  
>Go out and see what you can find.<em>"

He ended the first verse with a wink and a leer, running his tongue along his front teeth before strumming his guitar.

Buffy gulped again, not liking the warm feeling that was blooming in her chest.

* * *

><p>After the roaring success of their first set, the band took a break and the regular club music started to play again. Willow made Xander and Dawn go out on the dance floor, while she and Buffy waited for the Dingoes to come over to their table. She watched from the corner of her eye whilst some of the audience, many of them female, approached the band members in hopes of getting to meet and greet them. As long as none of these fans got too friendly with Oz, Willow was fine with the bit of celebrity attention they received, especially after a performance.<p>

"Are you trying to set them up?" Buffy chuckled at the obvious awkwardness between Xander and Dawn on the dance floor.

"Truth be told, our new friend, young Xander here, has a little crush on Dawn. So I thought, y'know let's get them to spend some time together and see if there's any sparkage."

Buffy raised a skeptical eyebrow. "So either you forgot the no-dating rule or you're attempting to torture poor Xander."

"Well, the thing is, when you and Xander were getting drinks, Dawnie told me that there was a little change in that rule so I was thinking that it might actually be okay to let our two lovely lovebirds give it a try." Willow turned her gaze away from the dance floor to face Buffy, hoping she would share more about this new development.

A sigh escaped the blonde, "I assume she gave you the full run down in the change of terms and conditions?"

Willow shrugged in response. "I wouldn't know for sure, but why don't you tell me about it?"

Buffy nodded and explained the changes to the no-dating policy along with what had transpired earlier in the day.

"Woah, talk about drama." The red head remarked once Buffy had finished her story.

"Yeah, tell me about it. That being said, I would like to declare that it's not going to matter much to me because I'm not planning on dating _anybody_ for the rest of the year. Especially not since that last time I got…you know…" She left the words hanging there, not wanting to rehash the pain of that old memory. "Plus, I might be doing the Study Abroad thing in a few months, so with that on my plate, there's no point really." She shrugged her shoulders a little dejectedly..

Willow pursed her lips and gave her best friend a quick hug, immediately feeling guilty for bringing it up. "Not everyone's like him, Buffy." They pulled away and regarded each other with meaningful looks. "I mean, look at Oz. Not that I want to brag, but he's been a pretty solid boyfriend thus far."

"I doubt I'm going to be that lucky, but thanks Will." She smiled wistfully.

"No problem, my bestie. And just a heads up, the boys are coming over." Willow tilted her head back to indicate they were behind Buffy.

The blonde looked over her shoulder and found a pair of wide and bright blue eyes staring at her in amazement.

"Well, I'll be damned," Spike drawled effortlessly, despite the surprise. "This must be the work of kismet. I hope you didn't bring that textbook with you tonight, gorgeous."

Buffy was sure her face went as red as a tomato right then. Meanwhile, the rest of the band had gathered around the table and all eyes turned to Buffy in puzzlement.

"Can we not talk about that right now?" She asked Spike through gritted teeth, more embarrassed than angry.

"So I guess we don't need to introduce you two?" Oz interrupted with a clearing of his throat.

Before Buffy could comment, Spike replied coolly, "Actually, we've met briefly, but I never got the chance to know her name." After a beat, he added with a casual shrug and arrogantly cocked his head to one side, "Although I'm pretty sure she knows mine by now."

"Oh shut up, Spike." Buffy spat irritably, fighting the strong urge to punch that perfect nose of his.

"See, she does know my name." He smirked with raised eyebrows.

"Okay, this is very interesting," Oz mused quietly; a quick glance towards his girlfriend's subtle shrugging told him that she had no real clue as to how the two blondes had met either.

"Do you want to tell them the story of how you gave me this bruise with your textbook, luv, or should I?" Spike tilted his head towards Buffy and gave her an impish Cheshire cat grin.

All Buffy could do was narrow her eyes and glare at him, wishing laser beams could shoot out of her eyes at that moment. "Look here mister, my name is _not_ luv and I swear it was an accident! That lousy textbook is just plain ol' evil, an...and it's got a mind of its own!" she pouted sullenly.

The two of them stared at each other for a brief moment before Spike looked away first. "Right then, since she doesn't seem too keen on it, I guess I can tell the story if you guys want." He grinned mischievously at the rest of group, clearly ignoring Buffy's wrath.

"Oh yes, please do tell!" Willow squealed excitedly.

"Willow!" yelped Buffy, turning to her with eyes widened in shock at her betrayal.

"Sorry, Buffster, I can't help myself! And I'm sure the rest of us want to know as well." Willow bit her lower lip and shrugged apologetically at her best friend.

Buffy's face crumpled as she slapped a hand over her forehead and groaned.


	6. Ch 6–Dark Horse

"_Make me your Aphrodite_

_Make me your one and only_

_But don't make me your enemy, your enemy, your enemy_

_So you wanna play with magic_

_Boy, you should know what you're falling for_

_Baby do you dare to do this?_

_Cause I'm coming at you like a dark horse_

_Are you ready for, ready for_

_A perfect storm, perfect storm_

_Cause once you're mine, once you're mine_

_There's no going back_"

_~ Katy Perry ~_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6 – Dark Horse<strong>

In the middle of the dance floor, Dawn started to giggle a little at Xander, who was trying his best not to embarrass himself with his bad dance moves.

"I'm pretty sure that's not how Patrick Swayze was grooving in Dirty Dancing." She shook her head at him in pity. It would've been almost too painful to watch if it weren't so funny.

"Alright, fine. I lied about knowing all the choreography from the movie, but hey, that doesn't mean I can't dance!"

"Are you sure about that, Xander? Frankly I think you should be taking a few lessons from me instead." She gave him a lopsided grin before turning her back on him, barely letting her body touch his as she moved to the rhythm of the music, accentuating her womanly curves as she swayed from side to side.

In her new position, Dawn was able to see their table clearly and noted that the Dingoes had finally gathered around. The newest member of the band, that wickedly gorgeous platinum blond, Spike was talking animatedly while everyone else at the table looked amusedly between him and Buffy. Even from a distance, she could tell that her sister was scowling at him and looked exceptionally red in the face.

While Buffy did have a tendency to behave like a drama queen every now and then, she was seldom affected by the provocations of others. Dawn broke into a wide grin at the sight of her majorly pissed off sister. Given how they both seemed to have a natural talent at aggravating the hell out of Miss No-Fun Buffy, Dawn had a very good feeling that she and Spike would get along absolutely fabulously.

She spun back around to face Xander, switching her focus back to him and the music. "So how about it, Xan-Man? Are you up for some dance lessons?" She teased, adding an extra swivel of her hips for effect.

Unbeknownst to her, the close proximity of their bodies had been sapping every last ounce of his self-control since Willow had practically shoved them both onto the dance floor. Seeing the playful way she was flirting with him now, Xander was sure that he would spontaneously combust right then.

In spite of the pain he was going through, he still managed to give Dawn a genuine smile. "Hey, if a pretty girl wants to offer me a dance lesson or two…How could I ever say no to a beautiful creature such as you?"

"Woo, that's quite the smooth talking for a guy with two left feet. And wow, that actually rhymed." Dawn cocked an eyebrow at him, placing her hands above her head while her hips gyrated to the tempo, never missing a beat. "But you wouldn't be using dance lessons as an excuse to ask me out, would you?"

Xander's own movements slowed for a minute. He stared at her with mixed feelings of hope, fear, and caution, "Well, if I were to ask…not that I am, mind you, but let's say I did…would you want me to?"

Dawn stopped dancing completely and placed one hand on her hip. She tilted her head slightly towards the opposite side and looked at him seriously.

Feeling a minor panic attack coming on, Xander fought the urge to squirm. He knew deep down that he'd blown his chances. All that up close and personal dancing had undoubtedly driven him to a moment of temporary insanity and now he was about to experience the pain of rejection once again.

"Are you aware of the infamous Summers-girls-aren't-ever-allowed-to-date law?"

He blinked in surprise. It was certainly not the response he was expecting. "I suppose I might've heard something about it."

"Well, Mr Harris, seems it just might be your lucky day then because the law got reformed, and there may be some hope yet if you're really thinking of asking me out." She winked saucily.

"What exactly do you mean by reformed?"

Dawn broke into a cheeky grin, eyes alight with the same mischief that reminded him of that first time he'd seen her from afar. "Let's just say that if you want me to be your Patrick Swayze, you're going to have to come up with a plan and find us a willing victim who'd be nuts enough to go out with the other Summers."

* * *

><p>"Wow Buffy, I knew you were spunky but I didn't know you had super strength too." Sam, the drummer and occasional keyboardist of the band gawked at Buffy in awe, his brown eyes filled with both fear and admiration. "I mean, damn. I thought Spike got his bruises in a bar fight or something, especially that huge one on his back. Ouch."<p>

"Don't you know that Buffy _is_ the bar fight, mate?" Spike chuckled, looking at her with a twinkle in his eyes. The comment earned him another glare of daggers from his not-so-new acquaintance. "Take it easy, pet. I say that as a compliment."

"I'll say!" Chester grinned; he was the bassist and final band member of the Dingoes. "Remind me to stay out of your way at all times, especially if you've got a hardcover book with you. I'm not as tough as Spike is and I really don't fancy the idea of getting bones or other delicate parts of mine broken."

Buffy huffed and rolled her eyes. "If you bunch of wussies don't shut up right this second, I _am _going to break something fragile and then you'll really understand the meaning of pain."

"Given that feisty rep of yours, I would be sorely disappointed if you didn't." Oz smiled, before taking a gulp of his beer.

Just then, Dawn arrived back at the table, followed quietly by Xander who stood slightly away from the group. "Hi guys!" The youngest amongst them greeted.

The band waved back and with the adrenaline still flowing through her system from all that dancing, she gave them her best megawatt smile before launching into a glowing review of their earlier performance.

"Wow, seriously, is it me or did the band get a whole lot more awesome? I mean, you guys totally killed it out there! And whose idea was it to do that opening song? That was really freakin' genius! Like, who would've figured that some old seventies retro song could sound so amazing?"

"Woah. Okay, slow the heck down, c_hica_. Take a breath before your fan girl balloon bursts." Buffy raised a disapproving eyebrow at her overzealous sister. "You didn't happen to consume any illegal substances while you were out on that dance floor did you?"

Dawn trilled with a smile that was bordering on maniacal, "Why, yes Buffy, I had a whole cereal bowl full of party pills and now all I can see are rainbows and flying unicorns everywhere!"

Spike smirked at Dawn's interesting choice of vocabulary, impressed at her snappy comeback. He gave her a surreptitious wink and thumbs up when their eyes met.

Dawn returned the wink and giggled flirtatiously, inadvertently letting the cat out of the bag. She hurriedly clamped her mouth shut when she saw her sister's face, but it was too late. Despite the hand that flew to cover her mouth, a muffled "Oops." escaped.

Buffy didn't have to ask to know who the culprit was. She gave him a withering glare, "Spike, do _not_ encourage her, or so help me, I will punch you in the face."

The platinum blond shrugged his shoulders innocently, holding his palms up while shaking his head, mouthing the word, "What?"

The younger Summers frowned at her sister and voiced in a solemn manner, "Buffy, you're being a big ol' meanie to him. And seriously, could you quit sucking the fun out of my happy fan bubble?"

"You mean balloon," Buffy corrected gravely. "It was your fan girl balloon almost bursting. And no, I'm not a big meanie!"

"Whatever." Dawn rolled her eyes again in irritation. "The rainbows and winged unicorns couldn't care less."

"Ooookay," Willow hurriedly interjected before her best friend could get arrested for strangling her own sister. "Dawnie, we haven't properly introduced you to Spike yet, have we?"

Not waiting for her to respond, Willow nudged Spike closer to Dawn, "Dawn meet Spike, and Spike meet Dawn, who also happens to be Buffy's sister in case you haven't already guessed from their witty repartee."

"So the nibblet is as fiery as her big sis, yeah?"

He noticed Buffy's eyes widening and for a second it looked as though she was about to comment. Whether it was about to be said in anger or pleasant surprise, Spike would never know. Dawn beat her sister to the punch as she smiled at Spike with girly adoration, extending her hand forward. "It's a Summers thing, Spike. If you ever meet our mom, you'll totally get what I'm saying. Anyway, it's super nice to meet you."

He chuckled and shook her hand, "Likewise, Dawn."

"So, remaking 'In the Summertime' into a rock song, was it your idea to do that?"

Spike hesitated for a moment, sounding almost bashful when he replied. "Just thought we should kick things off with something lively and fun is all."

"Fun and then some." Dawn grinned, her eyes were wide with wonder and Buffy found herself fighting the urge to roll her eyes.

Xander, who certainly didn't like the star-struck way Dawn was looking at the new lead singer of the band, interrupted by coughing a little louder than necessary. When the group turned to look at him, he gave a sheepish grin.

"Oh! I'm _so_ sorry, Xander!" Apologized Dawn, feeling rather guilty that she forgot he was even there. She stood aside and pulled him forward so that he was standing beside her.

Oz introduced Xander to the rest of the band, save for Spike, and the group eased into a comfortable flow of banter. While Dawn was hogging most of Spike's attention, Buffy was pointedly ignoring him, chatting mainly with Willow and Xander. Shortly after, the Dingoes had to return to the stage for the second part of their performance.

While the band launched into one of their original songs, Xander tried to think of a solution to his how-to-date-Dawn predicament.

If the prerequisite for going out with Dawn was that Buffy had to start dating first, then he was determined to do everything he could to find a suitable candidate that would interest the older Summers sister. The girls gathered at the end of the table that had a better view of the stage, so Xander settled at the opposite side and watched Buffy from the corner of his eye, scrutinizing her as inconspicuously as he could.

In contrast to Dawn and Willow, who were both bobbing along to the catchy beat of the song, Buffy was standing perfectly still between them. Her arms were folded together at the waist and she was nervously chewing on her lower lip. It took Xander a while to realize that she was really only watching one particular person. Her gaze was locked on Spike as he fell to his knees at that corner of the stage with both hands clutching the mike. With a pained expression, he sang something about getting his heart ripped out by a vindictive, heartless bitch who left him for another man.

In that moment, he knew that while Buffy seemed mostly annoyed by his antics, she was also undeniably attracted to Spike. Xander let out a sigh as he analyzed the earlier interactions between both blondes. When Buffy wasn't threatening him with bodily harm or telling him to shut up, she had spent the rest of the time mostly ignoring him. Spike, on the other hand, seemed to really enjoy provoking and getting a reaction out of her whenever the opportunity presented itself.

He bent his head for a second, staring at his shoes and frowned. If he was right about this, then it was obvious that she wasn't going to give Spike any inkling that she liked him, especially not after all his teasing. Assuming that was the case, then the next logical step would be to come at it from another angle.

To have Spike court Buffy instead.

He looked at the lead singer on stage, swaggering and strutting about, full of cocky attitude with a hint of danger. Xander tried to convince himself that the bruise was the only reason that made Spike look dangerous. The brunet snorted in jealousy as some girls at the front of the stage screamed wordlessly when Spike did a move that involved a hand wandering south towards his crotch.

Looking at the throng of female fans, it wasn't hard to believe that if they could, just about all of them would kill for a shot at doing the horizontal limbo with him_._ Spike was also probably aware that the chances of getting his nose busted by any one of these girls would be much lower than the risks posed by simply talking to Buffy. Given the factors, Xander knew that it was going to be a hard sell to convince Spike to go after the one girl who was not throwing herself at him.

He looked back and forth between the two, trying to figure out what it would take to make it happen when the song reached its bridge. Oz advanced to the front of the stage beside Spike, taking on the solo with ease. His fingers danced with speed and grace across the neck of the guitar as he strummed the melodic rock tune out of the instrument effortlessly. Xander's jaw dropped in shock at the red head's sudden transformation from relaxed and regular guitar player to confident and skilled guitar god. Who would've thought that the regularly laid back and seemingly mild mannered guy had that much talent?

An epiphany struck him at that point, and a small smile crept onto his otherwise unassuming visage. As part of his strategy to make Spike an offer he couldn't refuse, he'd found the perfect partner in crime to help him with his mission.


	7. Ch 7–Can't Buy Me Love

"_Can't buy me love, love_

_Can't buy me love_

_I'll buy you a diamond ring my friend_

_If it makes you feel all right_

_I'll get you anything my friend_

_If it makes you feel all right_

_'Cause I don't care too much for money_

_For money can't buy me love_"

_~ The Beatles ~ _

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7 – Can't Buy Me Love<strong>

Oz slid into the booth after choosing a song from the old jukebox in the corner. When the Beatle's classic hit came on, he smiled ever so slightly before digging into his grilled Reuben sandwich.

"It feels like we're stuck in an episode of Happy Days." Xander shook his head in disbelief while sipping on his Oreo cookie milkshake. Oz didn't seem like the type of person who was into retro-themed diners.

"It's not about the diner, Xand." Oz replied between mouthfuls of his sandwich, "It's about this," He pointed at messy contents of his lunch, "The corned beef and sauerkraut. It's the best around, I swear."

"Right and it's got nothing to do with being superbly hungry after last night's post-Bronze activities, I'm sure." He winked conspiratorially at Oz. Everyone could see the way Willow was practically jumping on the lead guitarist after their last song was done.

Oz gave him a look that read, _you'd better shut up if you want to live._ And Xander happily obliged by changing the subject.

"So aside from wanting to have a manly lunch today, I, uh, kinda wanted to ask you something." He started off casually, taking a bite out of his own Texas burger topped with melted mozzarella. "Holy cow," he said between chews, "no kidding about the food! This is amazing!"

"I told you." Oz smirked at his new friend. "It's not just any crappy retro-themed diner."

"Yeah, you can say that again." He smiled, savoring the scrumptious flavors. After a minute or two, he forced himself out of his beef induced haze to focus on the mission at hand.

"Anyway, as I was saying," Xander attempted again, "I wanted to ask you something about Spike."

Oz's right eyebrow raised high up his brow. "I thought you liked Dawn? I mean, not judging here. If you like guys too, then that's okay. I didn't think that Spike was your type is all."

"What?" Xander frowned in confusion for a beat before making a disgusted face and exclaiming loudly, "Oh, c'mon! It's not…I'm not, I mean…I don't like him that way! And, seriously, even if I did like guys, which I'm not saying I do, but even if I were into dudes, I would never, ever, like Spike!"

A few curious patrons turned their heads in his direction and Xander hastily grabbed a menu and held it up to obscure his face from view.

"Oh, this is great." He groaned. "Now everyone thinks I'm bisexual."

The corners of Oz's mouth twitched upwards but while he was amused, he decided to be kind and get back to the matter at hand, "So, why do you want to know about Spike?"

Xander gradually lowered the menu back onto the table. He looked about to make sure no one was looking anymore before continuing to tell Oz everything. From what Dawn had told him, to what he'd observed of Buffy and his plan to make Spike an offer in exchange for taking Buffy out on a few dates.

When he was done with the entire explanation, Oz, who had long since finished his Reuben sandwich and coke, leaned back into his side of the booth and stared out the window.

"Was that too much information?" Xander asked quietly.

Oz shook his head, still looking out the window. He seemed to be staring off into space until he finally replied, "No, it's not TMI, it's just…" he turned back to look at Xander, with a hint of surprise in his eyes, "you really did put a lot of thought into it, huh?"

"Well, duh. It's not like I have a girlfriend who's taking up all my time." Xander shrugged.

"Hmm, fair enough," Oz remarked.

"So, what would it take to get Spike to attempt to go out with Buffy? What could we offer as the incentive for him?"

"How much are you willing to invest in this idea of yours for Dawn?" Oz questioned seriously.

"Probably my entire life savings."

The red head smiled, "Dawn means that much, huh."

"There's just something about her that I really like."

"Okay. If you're serious about this, there might be something you could offer Spike, but I'm not sure if you'd be ready to fork over your cash once you know the cost."

"Try me." Xander dared.

"I know he's been talking about this vintage 1980's black Gibson Les Paul he saw the other day, but it's priced well over a grand."

Xander balked at the value, the smile completely wiped off his face, "Right. You know what? You're absolutely correct, I can't afford it. Isn't there anything else he wants?"

"You mean, aside from this one weird, dark haired girl who talks really crazy?"

Xander scrunched his eyebrows together in bewilderment.

"Never mind." Oz sighed, "That ex-girlfriend of his is another story altogether. Back to more achievable goals, that guitar may be on his ultimate wish list, but if you could get a brand new Les Paul in black, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to take Buffy out on a date or three." Oz grinned.

"Let me guess, it's at least a grand?"

"Depends on the model but I have a friend whose father is one of the largest dealers in California. She could probably help you out and get you a really good price."

"That's fantastic!" Xander smiled, eyes alight with hope, and then added, "I hope you're really close with this person."

"We're more like acquaintances, but we've always gotten along okay," Oz said. "Let me introduce you guys and we'll see what we can do."

"Here's hoping there's an installment plan available for the damn thing."

Oz took a deep breath for what he was about to say. He usually didn't like to talk a lot, but he thought he should for the sake of his love-struck friend. "Xander, I hope you realize that once we do this, things could get very sticky for all of us. So, you'd better be sure about your feelings for Dawn. Because I don't like that this could potentially hurt my friends if things go south."

"Don't worry about it. As long as we stick to the plan, I'm sure everything will all work out fine."

"Yeah, I'm sure it will," remarked Oz wryly, trying hard not to be too skeptical of Xander's plan.

* * *

><p>Several days later, Xander found himself waiting anxiously at one of the many picnic benches within the SSU campus. Oz had told him to wait next to the Business Studies Library while he went to get the friend that could help with a guitar.<p>

It didn't take long before he spotted Oz coming out of the library with a girl. She had gorgeous wavy dark hair that fell past her shoulders and there was something undeniably very glamorous about her. She was stylishly clad in a sleeveless white skater dress that ended high above her knees and her expensive looking dark red pumps gave her a few extra inches in height.

Towering beside Oz, she looked like a bronzed goddess catwalking on the runway. Just your average supermodel and rock star going about their daily business. Xander watched the other students nearby who were blatantly staring at the pair as they approached him.

The girl took a seat at the table, sitting directly across from Xander. She smiled and asked, "Oz told me you're looking for a quality guitar but you don't quite have the budget for it?"

"Wow, you certainly don't beat around the bush." Xander observed.

"Xander, this is Cordelia." Oz interjected. "Cordy has a thing against being tactful, so don't take any offense."

"Tact is just not saying true stuff." She shrugged coolly.

"If you both don't mind my asking, how did the two of _you_ meet?"

Cordelia gave a wink in Oz's direction before she answered the question, "See, I used to date Devon, their former lead singer, like, eons ago and that's how I got to know Oz and the other fellas. Needless to say, it didn't take me long to realize that Devon was just another loser douchebag. So, of course, I dumped his sorry ass, but I've made it a point to stay friends with the rest of the band."

"I see." Xander nodded. "That's quite a lovely story."

"Thank you, it is." She beamed brightly.

Oz, who had been standing by their bench the entire time, announced that he had to leave for a class. "Cor, please behave. Take it easy on Xander, okay?"

"Come now, the man's not a delicate flower. Give him some credit, will you?" She flashed a wicked smile.

Oz shook his head, "Good luck, Xander. We'll catch up later."

"Thanks a lot for all the help, Oz."

When he was gone, Cordelia turned her attention back to Xander. "Now, do we have any more personal questions, Xander? If not, let's get down to business, shall we?"

* * *

><p>"Okay then, now that we've worked out on the model and payment plan, tell me why you're really doing this." Cordelia leaned forward and whispered, "Oz said he couldn't divulge too much about it but from what I can guess, this is about a girl?"<p>

Xander frowned, "Why do you want to know?"

"Just color me curious and humor me, will you? I promise I won't tell anyone else."

"If I tell you, will you get your dad to give me a bigger discount?"

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "I don't know, maybe. Depends how good this story of yours is."

He nodded, deciding to give her an overview of the truth without revealing too many details or names. When he finished, Cordy smiled sweetly, "Aww, you have a thing for Dawn? I find that oddly endearing."

Xander practically shot out of his seat. "I didn't say it was Dawn!"

"Oh please honey, even without the no-dating rule, everyone knows Buffy's like the worst girl to go out with on campus. Don't get me wrong, the girl is easy on the eyes and all, but she's got some deep serious issues going on in that pretty blonde head of hers. You didn't have to say much for me to figure it out. Funny thing is that she used to be so popular. Pity, really. We were even good friends in our first year here." She sighed.

"Oh lord, I shouldn't have said anything!" Xander groaned.

"Take a chill pill, Harris. I'm not going to tell anyone about this, okay? Besides, I'm really interested to see how this all works out in the end."

"Alright, fine. And since you've got the whole story now, are you going to help me with that discount?"

Cordelia rolled her eyes again and gave him a disgusted look. For a moment, Xander thought she was about to blow him off, but she replied tersely, "Look, I'm no Mother Theresa but I'll see what I can do. After all, this is my dad's business, not mine."

"Thanks, Cordy. I appreciate the help."

"Oh, don't thank me yet. I do have one small condition." She grinned evilly.

"Which would be?"

"Whoever he is, if he actually survives three dates with her with his sanity still intact, I get to personally deliver the guitar to the lucky winner. I want to shake this guy's hand and congratulate him for being the most tolerant man in the universe."

"Geez woman, you've got to be exaggerating. You're making Buffy sound like Attila the Hun!"

"Compared to her, I'm sure Attila was a real sweetheart. This guy must either be new in town or suicidal if he's willing to take her on, because the rest of us certainly know better."

Xander gave her a disbelieving look.

She raised a perceptive eyebrow in reply, "Just don't say I didn't warn you."


	8. Ch 8–Wicked Game

"_What a wicked game you played to make me feel this way_

_What a wicked thing to do to let me dream of you_

_What a wicked thing to say you never felt this way_

_What a wicked thing to do to make me dream of you_"

_ ~ Chris Isaak ~_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8 – Wicked Game<strong>

Xander's mouth was moving but Spike couldn't make out what he was saying with the track playing. He rolled his eyes and yanked the giant headphones off in irritation. Chris Isaak's pained belting about wanting to fall in love could now be heard faintly in the surrounding area.

Holding out a hand to stop Xander in mid-sentence, his eyebrows lowered in annoyance, "You know people who put headphones on are usually listening to music, right?"

"Ah… Right, yeah, that was kinda dumb of me. Sorry..." Xander laughed nervously as he sputtered on, "I'm really sorry about that, I just wanted to ask you about…"

Oz, who had been standing close behind, merely shook his head. He knew it was a bad idea to let Xander approach Spike here. Every visit to the record store was like a holy experience for him, and to have it rudely interrupted like that would be akin to poking a grizzly bear with a stick.

Spike narrowed his eyes at the brunet's suspicious behavior and held out his hand again to silence him. "Actually, now that I think about it, what _are_ you doing here? Bloody hell! Don't tell me you followed me here, you git!"

His heated gaze shifted towards Oz, "There had better be a damn good reason as to why he's here. I don't mind if it's only you, mate, but this one seems to be following you around everywhere like a miserable little puppy dog these days."

"Hey!" Objected Xander indignantly. "That's so not true! You're just jealous that we've been enjoying each other's company and spending so much time together instead of with you."

Spike smirked at the choice of words. Out of respect for Oz, he bit his lower lip to keep from commenting further. The red head, on the other hand, hung his head and groaned in pain.

Realizing how that must've sounded to the two guys, he hastily added, "Okay, that came out a little wrong, but you know what I mean!"

"Let's just move over to the coffee shop next door, shall we?" Oz suggested. "Think you'll be interested in what Xander has to say."

Spike's eyes twinkled with glee, "Why? Is the poof going to announce his undying love for you? Boy, I reckon Red would rip his head completely off if he tried to steal you away from her."

Oz sent an annoyed look at Spike. Not caring if they followed, he wordlessly headed towards the exit.

* * *

><p>Right after Xander managed to conclude his explanation and put the offer up to Spike, the blond burst into a loud guffaw. He laughed so hard that tears sprung to his eyes and the couple sitting at the next table turned to look at him in mild alarm.<p>

When he'd finally calmed down, he wiped away his tears and grinned at Oz, who was sitting to his right, "Okay, I'll admit that you were right. It was interesting to hear what he had to say."

Oz took a sip of his tea and nodded, "Told ya."

"I thought you must've been joking, but the look on your face tells me otherwise." He grinned at Xander in astonishment, "Also have to admit that I didn't think you had it in you to plot such a scheme, Harris. Hell, you must be completely besotted with Dawn to come up with such a harebrained idea."

Spike took a few moments to mull the offer over. He sipped his black coffee slowly, enjoying the anxious look on the other man's face.

"Well?" Xander asked, after a minute of silence.

"I don't know, Xander. I mean, I'm still recovering from my encounter with Buffy." Spike pointed at the purplish bruise on his cheek, "And I had just met the girl! Imagine the damage she could put me through now that we know each other."

Xander pushed his hot chocolate aside and leaned forward towards Spike, "C'mon man, that was just a onetime accident. I'm sure she's a really nice person once you get to know her. She was tons of fun at The Bronze the other night, wasn't she?"

Spike shook his head and rolled his eyes. "God, you're a lousy salesman."

"What? But she's so…fun a-and… likeable!"

"Right, sure she is. And even if she was America's sweetheart, that still wouldn't mean this would work." Spike tilted one side of his head forward, "You're asking me to take her out on three dates in exchange for just one guitar. What if we go out on the first date, and discover that we absolutely hate each other? I'd be wasting my time and money, and probably regretting not doing something else a lot more…satisfying on my Saturday night."

"Okay, what about this then? I'll cover all the expenses for the first date with an extra fifty thrown in for your time even if she says no to a second date. If, however, things work out, you'll take her out for two more and then you'll get your guitar." Xander sighed and ran a hand over his face. This plan was starting to cost him a lot more money than he had expected. Even though she'd probably never find out, he hoped that Dawn would one day appreciate all his efforts.

The Brit arched one amused eyebrow, grinning sideways as he made his counter proposal, "How about you cover all expenses of the first date with an extra _hundred_ in advance, regardless whether we go on anymore dates."

Spike leaned back in his chair and folded his arms, wearing a smug look that made Xander want to give him a black eye to match the existing bruise on his face. Unfortunately, wounding Spike would do nothing for his cause and all he could do was scowl in response.

"How can you stand this guy?" Exclaimed Xander to Oz. "He's a complete pain in the ass!"

Oz merely shook his head and folded his arms too, not wanting to take any sides.

"Hey, don't try to change the subject, Harris," Spike rebuked. "So do we have a deal or not?"

Xander thought back to earlier in the morning when he had seen Parker walking Dawn to one of her classes. He'd been carrying her books as they made their way along the hallway, walking side by side comfortably. Parker was telling her a joke or something witty, and Xander watched her lean against his shoulder a little, laughing like she hadn't a care in the world. He had felt a pang of envy then and at that moment decided that if anyone was going to make her that happy, it should be him and definitely not that arrogant, dim-witted jerk. He knew he had to gain the upper hand somehow.

"Alright, Captain Peroxide, this is how it's going to be. I'll cover all expenses of the first date with the first fifty in advance. The other fifty will be given only after your second date. If you succeed in taking her out on three dates, you get the guitar. Comprende?"

Spike gave it a quick thought and decided that this would be fairly easy to accomplish,"Alright, you got yourself a deal. Better be ready with the merry bushels of cash and that guitar, my friend."

"Don't worry about it. Just make sure you live up to your end of the bargain."

A wicked smirk spread across Spike's face, "Then let the games begin."

* * *

><p>"Hello there, Goldilocks."<p>

Buffy didn't need to look behind her to know who it was.

"Howdy, Spike." She turned a little to the side, just in time to see him settling down on the chair next to her, "Got to say, I'm surprised to see you here."

"You know, funny you should say that." He smiled, "I was actually on my way to this library when you bulldozed into me that day."

Buffy grimaced at the reminder, and studied the bruise on his face, relieved that it was looking a lot better now, "I hope you still managed to get the books you needed."

He gave a small shrug, "The librarian was extra helpful when she saw my face, so don't worry, it all worked out well in the end."

Buffy smiled a little, "Maybe I should try getting a black eye or something. Might make my search for reference books go a lot faster."

Spike chuckled, "Pet, trust me, whatever the assignment is, it ain't worth getting your face messed up for. Plus, it's a bloody hell lot more painful than it looks."

She broke into a giggle and he found himself smiling along with her.

"So what are you doing here, Buffy? I didn't figure you to be the bookish type," he asked casually, setting aside his own small pile of books on the table. He propped one elbow on top of them and rested the side of his head on his closed fist, watching her intently.

In actual fact, he'd seen her come in almost every day for at least an hour or two to work on her assignments. Given that she was alone and away from her other friends and distractions, Spike thought it was probably the ideal time and place for him to ask her out.

Buffy gestured with both hands at the laptop, scattered notes and open books in front of her. "As you can see, I'm enjoying my favorite past time," she remarked with sarcastic cheerfulness.

"You mean making a big cluttered mess on a large surface area?" he joked, giving her his sassiest grin.

She glared at him, her hazel green eyes narrowed into slits, "Har hardy har. That is so not funny, mister. This stupid paper is due in a little over a week and I've hardly written two sentences on it in the past two hours. I've absolutely no idea how I'm going to write the required fifteen pages in time. Suffice to say, this is probably going to take up my entire weekend, which, now that I think about it, really sucks big time."

Spike frowned, not liking that the chances of her going out with him would lessen thanks to this paper she had to do. He resolved to try and subtly use the situation to his advantage.

"Ever thought of maybe taking a break for a while before getting back into it? Some people say that if you come back to it after a break and your head's been clear, the work flows better. And you've got a week after all, plenty of time to get one measly paper done."

"You mean like a coffee break?" Because honestly, with the types of books she'd been reading for her research, caffeine sounded like a great idea.

"Well, I was thinking more like dinner this weekend, but sure pet, if that's what you want."

She glanced up at Spike, those sapphire blues boring into her. The nearness of him was extremely distracting and she was almost tempted to allow herself to be swept away by him until she realized that he'd mention something about dinner this weekend.

"Hold on, back up here, did I hear you correctly?" She asked incredulously.

Spike took a deep breath, so much for subtle.

"Yeah, you did. Truthfully I was hoping I could maybe ask you out on a date this weekend."

Buffy blinked in disbelief, still not convinced she was hearing him right.

"You mean like the kind with dinner and a movie?"

Spike gave a lopsided grin, "If that's what you want to do."

"Why?" Buffy asked, almost suspiciously.

"Why not? I think maybe we got off on the wrong foot, and I'd like to get to know you better. Nothin' wrong with that, I reckon."

She twisted the hem of her shirt nervously, not daring to look up, "I'm not sure, Spike. There are so many things that could and would go wrong, especially when it involves me."

"Sorry, but I'm not sure I followed you around that bend, luv."

Clearing her throat, she tried to convey her thoughts, "It's only that…I tend to…get into trouble a lot even when I'm not actually looking for any." And though she didn't mention it, there was also that thing about swearing that she would never allow herself to open up completely and get hurt again.

Spike chuckled, "I think that's what they call life, pet. It just happens sometimes."

"If you only knew the story of my life, I'm pretty sure you'd be running for the hills."

"It's not like my track record is spotless either." He gave her a commiserating smile.

Buffy smiled back, "That doesn't exactly make me feel any better, but thanks."

Not wanting to depress the girl, Spike decided to change the subject for a while to lighten the mood, "So what's your paper about? It wouldn't be something involving the bloody Bard, would it?"

"Huh?" Buffy frowned in confusion.

"Shakespeare, I mean." He snorted in derision, pointing at the picture of the poet and playwright on the page of one of her open books, "Can't help but notice that all these books you've got are about him."

"Oh. _That_ bard," she muttered, "Yeah. I've no idea how I'm supposed to write fifteen pages entirely analyzing how Elizabethan England influenced his works."

He grinned, "Pet, that era's often thought to be the golden age in English history and he's basically the poster boy for the Elizabethan stage. I'm sure you can find some links."

Buffy's brows shot up in surprise, "Sounds like someone's a fan of ol' England and Shakespeare, huh?"

Spike's look of shock matched hers for a split second. He didn't like the thought of exposing his secret love for literature to anyone. His bad boy reputation had taken some work, and he wasn't about to risk losing it all because of some chit's homework assignment.

"What?" he sneered, "Pfft, no! Of course not! Only sappy poofs like reading nonsense like that! Do I look like the sort who'd want to read _Romeo and Juliet _or…or _A Midsummer Night's Dream _or…whatever the bloody crap it is that sappy poofs like to read?"

She wasn't fooled one bit, but decided to humor him, "Alright, then. Since you put it that way, I guess maybe you should leave me alone now so I can get back to my virtually non-existent analysis of Shakespeare and Elizabethan England."

Just then, Parker, who had been strolling past their table, back tracked his steps to stop in front of her, "Sorry, I overheard you saying Elizabethan England and couldn't help myself. Do you need help with that assignment, Buffy? I could lend you some of my notes or work with you on your paper if you'd like. I'm almost done with mine anyway."

Buffy noted the way he was not-so-subtly looking down her shirt and clutched the nearest book to her chest. She spoke in clipped tones, "Thanks, but no. I'm fine, Parker."

"Are you sure about that, Buffster?" Parker gave a friendly, seemingly warm smile, "I mean I understand if you're having troubles with this paper. It's a tough one, that's for sure."

Like Buffy, Spike noticed that there was definitely something off about this guy and found it impossible not chime in, "The lady doesn't need your help, mate. So thanks for the concern but you'd best bugger off now," he spoke in an even tone, but there was a hint of warning in his words.

He frowned at Spike and backed away, "Hey, I was only being helpful is all. No need for any hostility."

Once Parker was gone, Buffy turned and quirked a questioning eyebrow at Spike, "You know, you didn't have to do that."

A small smirk spread across his face and he looked into her eyes, "Yeah, but I wanted to. Didn't like the way that smarmy git was tryin' to get fresh with you."

If it were any other guy, she would've told him that it wasn't his place to decide things like that, but Buffy just smiled back at him, "Well, isn't someone being very thoughtful?"

"Admittedly, I was being chivalrous with motive." His smirk widened.

Buffy groaned in annoyance, "That makes you as bad as Parker, if not worse. What is it with guys like you and him? Everything has to be about something."

"Hey, watch it!" Spike growled in protest, "I'm nothing like that ponce, alright? I honestly didn't like the way he was looking at you. Anyone could tell he's a soddin' arsehole. But back to the subject at hand, yeah, I have a tiny motive, but it's with good intentions."

Buffy thought it was cute that he was suddenly looking a little embarrassed at the mention of his motive, "And that would be?"

"One date with you, pet. We can paint the town red and all that." He shrugged.

"Spike, I really don't think it's a good idea, especially with my track record and more importantly, this stupid paper due."

His crestfallen expression almost made her change her mind until she took a quick glance at her watch.

"Oh, crap!" She yelped. Jumping from her seat, Buffy started closing the books and packing her notes and laptop back into her bag.

"Oi, I thought we were havin' a conversation, Summers? Where are you going?"

"Sorry, but my next class starts in ten minutes and I'm going to be late if I don't leave now, what with the lecture hall being on the other side of this annoyingly ginormous campus."

"But..." He frowned at her, disappointment set in those blue eyes.

Buffy paused for a moment, drawn to that sexy pout he was giving her. She chided herself for behaving like a lovesick teenager and shook her head to snap out of it.

"Okay, look, I'll be at the Bronze tomorrow night with Willow and Oz. You can meet us there, and we can talk more if you'd like, but don't get any fancy ideas and think of it as a double date, okay?"

Spike scoffed as though he couldn't imagine such a thing ever happening to him, "Don't worry, Goldilocks. I don't do double dates but you can certainly expect to see me there."


	9. Ch 9-New

"_And you're consuming me violently_  
><em>And your reverence shamelessly tempting me<em>  
><em>Who sent this maniac?<em>  
><em>'Cause I never had this taste in the past<em>

_Oh, you're different_  
><em>You're different from the former<em>  
><em>Like a fresh battery I'm energized by you<em>

_Don't let it go away_  
><em>This feeling has got to stay<em>  
><em>Don't let it go away<em>  
><em>This feeling has got to stay<em>  
><em>And I can't believe I've had this chance now<em>  
><em>Don't let it go away<em>

_Why am I so curious?_  
><em>This territory's dangerous<em>  
><em>I'll probably end up at the start<em>  
><em>I'll be back in line with my broken heart<em>"

~_No Doubt_~

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9 – New<strong>

"What are you afraid of, sunshine?" Spike bent towards Buffy's ear to speak over the loud song that was playing in The Bronze.

"I'm not afraid of anything!" She denied, giving him an angry pout. They had been getting along well and having a perfectly good time until he'd started suggesting that they hit the dance floor.

His smiled widened at the sight of her endearing scowl.

He taunted her, waggling his eyebrows, "If you're not a fraidy cat, then come on then, let's go!"

Oz and Willow had recently returned to their table after a round on the dance floor themselves and were now sipping their drinks quietly while they watched the two blondes argue.

"Because," she said, "if we do the dance floor thing, it's going to feel like…a double date of some sort." Buffy mumbled the last part, her brows furrowing in concern.

A bark of laughter escaped Spike, "Oh pet, you're hilarious." He grinned at her before downing the rest of his Jack Daniels in one go. "It's merely one dance. That's all it is. No more, no less."

Seeing the uncertainty still in her eyes, Spike added in a low rumble, "Trust me, if I was taking you out on a real date, you'd know it."

Buffy felt a slight tingle of excitement run down her spine and chanced a quick glance over at Willow who was signaling her best friend with a tilt of her head towards the dance floor. The red head silently mouthed, "Go. Dance. Now!"

Nodding slightly, she gulped what was left of her second vodka lemon and put on a brave smile. It was just what she needed. The cool and refreshing sweet drink went down smoothly and she licked her lips in satisfaction, estimating that this would give her enough Dutch courage to go dance with him. She looked up at Spike and hoped that she appeared more confident than she felt, "Okey dokey arthichokey, let's do this."

Letting him lead her by the hand into the crowd, Buffy felt her heart pounding in her chest as he held her hand tightly. When they were somewhere in the middle, he turned and pulled her towards him, their foreheads nearly touching. "Is this okay?" he asked.

She nodded and Spike grinned as they started to dance in sync with the music. Their bodies fit like yin and yang, each was a complete opposite of the other, yet complementary to each other, creating a perfect balance.

While Buffy glowed under the ultraviolet light in her off-shoulder white mini dress, Spike's fitted long-sleeved black tee and jeans ensemble flaunted his well-defined physique. The pair looked like a dark price and his angel dancing in a thunderstorm.

The atmosphere and vodka were starting to work their effect on her, and Buffy felt her inhibitions slowly slipping away. A sense of confidence settled over her as she swayed to the music and ran her hands down Spike's chest, feeling his compact muscles beneath the thin fabric.

He bit his lower lip, his own hands gripping her hips in response, a little tighter than he'd meant to. Buffy looked up at him from beneath her lowered lashes, one side of her lips pulled upwards in a playful smirk.

She turned around and leaned back into him, bending her knees a little as her hips swayed gracefully, dipping down and then upwards with the beat. He felt his breath catch in his throat when she brushed against his groin, "God, where did you learn to dance like that, pet?"

Buffy looked over her shoulder, dark green eyes twinkling at Spike, she ground a little harder against him for effect, teasing him mercilessly, "Well, wouldn't you like to know?"

He raised his eyebrows with widened eyes, wondering how this could possibly be the same reserved and serious Buffy he'd spoken to only minutes ago. And while he had thought that he was going to be the one doing the seducing tonight, it seemed that she'd quickly turn the tables on him. At this point he wasn't quite sure who was seducing whom.

Buffy laced the fingers of her right hand with his and pulled his hand over her midriff, bringing him even closer to her. She leaned her head to the left, offering the side of her neck and bare shoulder to him. Spike bent his head slightly and ran his tongue from her shoulder all the way up to the back of her ear, ending it with a tiny nibble to her lobe. Buffy let out a soft moan and shivered slightly against him.

"Sorry, I just can't help myself." He leered at her even if she couldn't see him. From the way she was responding to his advances, his inner predator knew that he could have her tonight if he'd wanted it so. All he had to do was push her a little further along, and she would fall into his hands soon enough.

Smiling, she didn't have to turn around to know he wasn't being sincere, "Liar, you're not sorry at all."

He smirked and nuzzled deeper into her neck, breathing in the scent of her, intoxicating his senses with hints of cherry and vanilla. "Go out with me, pet. One date is all I'm askin'."

She felt his warm breath against her neck and her stomach started doing backflips. "No…a world of no," she breathed, shaking her head even as she leaned further into him, grinding against his body, fully aware of how a certain part of him was reacting to her. "Going out with you would spell trouble with a capital 'T', I just know it."

A deep chuckle erupted from his chest, "What makes you so sure?"

He spun her around and she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, arching her back and rolling her hips in circles perfectly in time with the rhythm. Buffy looked into his eyes with an intensity that wasn't there before, "The fact that I've never danced like this with a guy I've just gotten to know makes me pretty sure."

She had a valid point. Despite dancing many times like this before with girls he barely knew, none of them had managed to turn Spike on like Buffy had. This was starting to become a battle for dominance between them, and though he loved every second of it, he was afraid that it would inevitably lead to the both of them doing something they would regret later. In the back of his mind, he reminded himself that the mission was to get her out on a date, not screw her. It wouldn't bode well to let his lower region do the thinking.

He pulled away from her slightly, following the rational voice in his head, even though the rest of him was protesting. In a soft tone, he whispered in her ear, "You know, pet, I bet you're wrong about that. What we have is a rare occurrence known as an instant chemistry. Reckon it's not wrong for us to want each other. And who knows? Maybe you going out on a proper date with me wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen."

His expression had been unreadable and Buffy didn't quite know what to make of it. But before she could think of anything to say, he began leading her back to their table.

She'd only managed to get a small sip of her refilled vodka lemon before Willow dragged her along to the little girl's room. They were hardly out of earshot from the boys, when the red head blurted out in amazement, "Okay, Buffy, I'm simply going to come out and say it. What is going on here? I mean, _dang_ girl that was some serious sizzlin' going on. I swear I could see smoke coming off the two of you!"

Buffy felt her cheeks grow hot, and suspected that she might be turning a shade of beetroot red, "It's only dancing, Will. That's all it is, I swear."

"Yeah right, just a dance, my butt!" Willow giggled. "That was sure puttin' the dirty into dancing!"

At her best friend's naughty comment, Buffy was certain that she was blushing in the deepest shade of red possible. In spite of her embarrassment, she put on a brave face and dismissed it with a wave of her hand, rolling her eyes at Willow, "Don't read too much into it. I promise you, this is purely a one-time thing."

"Hey, don't go all defensive on me. I'm simply pointing out that there is some serious sparkage there. I mean, anyone within a two mile radius could see it as plain as day, missy."

Meanwhile, the guys were at the table wrapped in their own discussion.

"So it looks like Buffy's really into you."

"Yes and no," Spike sighed, grabbing the bottle of half empty Jack Daniels, he poured himself another glass.

Oz raised an eyebrow.

The blond downed the drink and ran a hand through his gelled hair in irritation, ruining his carefully styled look. "It's like she's in some sort of…deliberate denial. The stronger her attraction is to me, the more she bleedin' refuses to say yes to a date. Does that even make any sense, Oz? Hell, this is soddin' frustratin' is what it is!"

"I'm getting the feeling that you're not doing it simply for the money and guitar anymore."

For a fraction of a second, there was something close to fear in Spike's eyes before he shook his head and gave Oz an incredulous look, "Don't be daft! I'm not planning on getting seriously involved with the girl or anything. It's just," His voice softened, "I've never had this much trouble getting a girl to go out with me before, and it's making my ego take a real bruising is all."

The red head wasn't quite convinced that Spike wasn't falling for Buffy but kept the doubtful thought to himself, "Do you need some help convincing Buffy to go out with you?"

"Not really, more like I just need some time." Spike sniffed, "But if you're offering a solution to help speed up the process, I'm all ears."

With a nod, Oz said, "I might have a way to help both you and Xander get closer to your respective Summers' girl."

Spike scoffed, "Really, now. And what exactly does this genius plan of yours involve? Because I get the feeling that the chit would still reject my advances even if I were a bleeding Prince Charming."

"Well, there's a bit of conspiring if you're up to it."

Grinning, he perked up at the prospect, "You know I can never resist a spot of diabolical scheming."

"It might take some work," Oz warned, "but it could pay off well if we stick to it."

Spike nodded in agreement, "That sounds like absolute fun, mate. Let's hear this plan of yours."

* * *

><p>"Thanks for letting me use your printer and paper and I'm really sorry for bothering you like this," Dawn smiled, neatly compiling the papers of her assignment as they got printed out.<p>

Coffee had spilled all over her paper earlier when she accidentally bumped into another student on her way to handing it in. She would've been in tears if Parker hadn't been there with her and suggested that she reprint her paper using the compact inkjet printer in his dorm, which happened to be conveniently close by.

Parker was sitting comfortably on the edge of his bed watching Dawn move about the room. "It's no problem, Dawn. I'm happy that I was there when it happened. I should say thanks for giving me the chance to save the day."

Dawn sat beside him and shook her head. She laughed as she put the papers away safely in her bag. It then occurred to Dawn that this was the first time in her life she'd entered a dorm room, and more importantly the first time she'd ever been in _Parker's _dorm room. She hated that she was feeling both excited and nervous about the experience.

"Gee, it must be nice to have your own dorm room all to yourself. All that privacy and space to do whatever you like and not have anyone tell you what to do…" She stopped in mid-sentence when she met Parker's thoughtful gaze, "What? What is it? Do I have something on my face?"

"No," He chuckled, "you look beautiful as always, Dawn. It's just…I realize that it feels so…right to have you here in my room."

"What?" Dawn could feel her heart racing and cheeks flushing. She wasn't sure if she should be flattered or creeped out by that statement. After all, they'd only known each other for a few weeks. Wasn't it a bit too early to be professing things like that?

"I'm sorry." He gave her a nervous smile of his own, "That came out wrong. What I mean is that I really like you a lot and it feels so easy to be with you. That's what I meant by saying I'm perfectly happy to see you here in my room."

"Oh, ha ha, gosh…thanks. It's only, you know, I can't exactly date anyone right now," Dawn replied.

Parker leaned forward, his face inching closer to hers, "Just because you can't date anyone, doesn't mean you can't…hang out with them as a close friend though, right?"

She gulped nervously and moved backwards as he continued moving forward, looking very much like he was about to kiss her. "Parker, this isn't exactly…" she started nervously, not quite sure how she should react to the situation. Just then, her ringtone rang out loudly in her bag. _Thank God!_ She thought gratefully. Dawn jumped up and rummaged through her bag, fishing her cell phone out. She looked at the caller and sighed in relief to see Xander's name flash across the screen.

"Hey!" she chirped into the phone. She had never been so happy to answer a call.

"Hey yourself," Xander replied. "I thought we were supposed to meet like fifteen minutes ago at Café Verona."

"I know, I know," she cried, tucking the phone between her head and shoulder as she hastily tossed the rest of her things into her bag, "I'm really sorry, I was about to hand in my assignment but there was a situation involving hot coffee and my stupid paper got destroyed and I had to…"

"Woah, hold on, hot coffee? Are you okay?" Xander cut her off worriedly, "You're not hurt, are you? Do you need any help? I could come get you wherever you're at, if that's better."

"Calm yourself down, cowboy! I'm fine and things are under control. Don't worry about it okay? Just give me an extra fifteen minutes to hand in my paper and I'll meet you after that. And umm, since you're already there, could you get me one of those cute little cappuccino cheesecakes while you're at it? Sorry, but I'm seriously starving!"

Xander chuckled, pleased to hear that she was okay. "Alright, hearing you talk about cheesecake makes me a little less concerned now. I'll order that and a coffee for you. Just please be careful, okay?"

"Woo, make it an iced coffee, please! And yes I will be. I'll see you real soon, Xander," Dawn replied with a smile. She heard the worry in his voice and was touched at how sweet he was being. After she hung up, she turned to Parker who'd stood up as well.

"Sorry, but I've gotta run, Parker. I'm really late as it is. Thanks so much for helping me with the printing and all."

"Hey, anything for you and it's okay. Go hand in that paper and we'll talk later." Though his words seemed understanding, his tone was noticeably disappointed and Dawn could see that the smile he wore was not quite reaching his eyes.

When she finally arrived at Café Verona, she grinned at the sight before her. Along with what she'd requested, Xander had also gotten an array of colorful macarons lined up neatly on a long rectangular plate. She squealed in delight and ran towards the table, getting a few annoyed stares from the other patrons as she made her way.

"Xander, you're my hero!" She greedily grabbed a pink macaron and popped it into her mouth in one go, her smile widening as she chewed on the sweet meringue-based pastry.

His heart soared at the sight of how happy she was to see him. Granted, it was only because he was bearing sweet treats and a caffeinated beverage, but knowing that he was responsible for putting that smile on her face was good enough for him.

After taking a few sips of her coffee, Dawn gave Xander a lopsided grin, "Thanks. I already feel much better because of that one strawberry and pistachio macaron!"

Xander raised his brows, "Wow, you actually know the flavors? Frankly I picked them entirely based on the color combination."

"Yeah, I'm a sucker for these little things. I've tried just about every flavor they have here."

"Dawn, there is like a zillion flavors available."

"And yet I only see six types on this plate. Tsk." She shook her head in mock displeasure, before breaking into a sincere smile, "But seriously, thank you for making my day better."

"You are most welcome, milady."

Dawn chuckled, "Now, let's get down to business. How can we help Spike with his Buffy-won't-say-yes-to-a-date problem?"


	10. Ch 10–Add It Up

"_Day after day, I will walk and I will play_

_But the day after today, I will stop and I will start_

_Why can't I get just one kiss?_

_Why can't I get just one kiss?_

_There may be some things that I wouldn't miss_

_But I look at your pants and I need a kiss_

_Why can't I get just one screw?_

_Why can't I get just one screw?_

_Believe me, I know what to do_

_But something won't let me make love to you" _

~_Violent Femmes_~

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10 – Add It Up<strong>

Just when Spike was about to launch into the next verse, he got distracted by the sight of someone coming down the stairs. Stopping abruptly, the rest of the band followed suit, until everyone was staring at the figure lumbering down noisily.

Realizing he was the cause of the sudden quiet, Xander smiled at the four musicians in mild embarrassment, "Uh, hey guys. How's everyone doing?"

After a beat of stunned silence, Oz announced, "Okay people, let's take a break. I think Willow's ordered us a Hawaiian pizza and buffalo wings, so feel free to help yourselves." While Chester and Sam headed up and out of the basement, Spike and Oz stayed behind, waiting for Xander to join them.

"Nice place you got here, Oz."

"Thanks." The red head shrugged. "My aunt actually left me this place when she passed."

"Oh. I'm so sorry." He cringed apologetically, feeling like a jerk.

"It's okay, it happened a few years ago."

Attempting to change the subject, he said, "And sorry if I interrupted your rehearsal, guys. Willow let me in and told me to come down here."

"No worries. I'm guessing this is about the status of your mission and not an inspection of my home decorating skills," Oz replied, taking a seat at one end of the couch by the wall.

"So it went well?" Spike asked this time.

"Yeah, it actually did. The first phase of the plan worked out great in fact. I think Dawn and I had an awesome time." Xander smiled at the memory.

"Awesome time had better also mean it was productive, too." Spike walked over to the couch as well, taking the other end of it. "So, what did you find out?"

Xander took a deep breath and chuckled nervously, "Gee, where do I start?"

He paced about the room for a while before speaking again, "I'm not sure if there's anything you can really do differently unless you know how to ice-skate, have a fridge full of cheese, or own a collection of cute little stuffed pigs."

"Excuse me?" asked Spike incredulously.

"Oh, and let's not forget her love of martial arts! She's been learning kung fu for the past two years."

"Not really seeing the point here, but okay." Spike folded his arms, his patience wearing thin.

"See, according to Dawn, Buffy's a huge fan of the Ice Capades, likes anything with cheese, and she has this stuffed pig called Mr. Gordo, that apparently gets more hugs from Buffy than Dawn herself. And yeah, it seems that she's genuinely qualified to kick ass like Bruce Lee, so I wouldn't take her threats of physical harm lightly if I were you." He ended the statement in nervous laughter.

"Right, and do you have anything that I could actually use?"

"Umm…apparently she is a fan of your music, even though she didn't come right out and say it. Dawn said Buffy was humming _In the Summertime_ while she was doing the dishes yesterday."

Spike broke into a small grin and arched his scarred eyebrow in amusement.

"So yeah, not all hope is lost, I guess." Xander nodded. "I'd say you actually have a fair chance if you keep at it."

Oz and Spike exchanged a look.

"I think you know what you have to do." Oz simply stated.

"Yeah, I only hope it isn't going to backfire and make me look like a bloody poof though."

* * *

><p>Buffy came home that evening to the bizarre sight of Spike sitting by the kitchen island right beside her mother. There they were talking and laughing like they were the best of friends, sipping on their respective cups of hot chocolate with marshmallows. They were enjoying each other's company so much that they didn't even see her standing in the doorway.<p>

_What the heck is going on?_ Buffy wondered, the scene before her not making any logical sense in her brain. She strongly hoped that he wasn't here to ask her mother's permission for a date with her or anything embarrassing like that.

"Is it me or did I just step into some freaky alternate reality?" she interrupted.

They both looked up in surprise and her mother broke into a wide smile, "Hello, honey! Glad to see you're finally home. Your friend, Spike, was so nice to help Dawn get home today after she sprained her ankle. The very least I could do to thank him was get him to stay for a cup of hot chocolate."

Spiked smiled affectionately at her mother, "Oh Joyce, I love your hot chocolate and marshmallows but you didn't have to thank me. The Little Bit's like my own sister. Goes without saying, I'd help her if she needs it."

"Is she okay? Where is she?" Buffy asked with concern.

"Dawn's in her room taking a nap. Don't worry Buffy, she'll be fine. Thank goodness it's only a minor sprain. Nothing too drastic," Joyce assured her.

"What happened?" It was odd that Dawn hadn't called her first if she needed help getting home.

As though he had read Buffy's mind, Spike replied, "She joined this dance club recently and I guess she got a little too carried away with one of the numbers. She knew you were busy working on your paper so she called Will instead, but since she was stuck in class herself, she asked if either Oz or I would be free to help. And yeah, that's how I ended up here."

"Huh," Buffy mused. Oddly enough, now that she knew the reason of his being there wasn't because of her, she was actually a little disappointed about it.

"I'm going to check on Dawn in a minute, but Spike if you'd like, you're welcome to stay with us for dinner. I've got a garden salad, mashed potatoes, and a heavenly pot roast in the oven. I guarantee you'll love it."

"If the smell in this kitchen is any indication, I'm sure I would. But that's okay Joyce, I really don't want to impose."

Joyce scoffed, "Don't be silly, we have enough food for one more person. You certainly won't be imposing."

Spike was about to protest further, but Buffy came over on the other side of the island to face him. She leaned forward and looked into his eyes, "Yeah, why don't you stay, Spike? We'd love the company."

There was something about the way she was grinning at him that made him a little nervous. He cleared his throat before replying, "I've got to head over to Oz's later for our weekly rehearsal, but yeah, sure. Dinner would be nice, I guess."

"There, that settles it then. I'll go check on our not-so-little twinkle toes now. Buffy, could you set the table in a couple of minutes?"

Buffy nodded as Joyce left the kitchen, leaving her and Spike alone.

They smiled and looked at each other uneasily. The plan was working so far, but Spike felt like kicking himself for suddenly turning into such a poof in her presence. Where had all his charm and smooth talking gone? He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand and forced himself to stick to the mission. "So, how's that paper going? The one about the, uh… analysis of Shakespeare's plays or something like that?"

She sighed, coming over to take the seat her mother had vacated a moment ago. "I don't know. I'm almost finished with it but I've got no idea if it's any good."

"When's it due?"

"We're supposed to hand it in this Saturday, which totally sucks since it's the weekend and I wish I had more time to work on it." She frowned.

"If you'd like, I'd be happy to read it through for you and give you some pointers before you turn it in. Then you'll have a little over a day to improve on it."

Buffy recalled his informative comment at the library and grinned at him. She crowed playfully, "Hah! I knew it!"

"What?"

"You're totally a fan of Shakespeare!" She poked his shoulder and giggled.

Spike scowled at her, "Am not! I just used to read a lot when I was much younger, alright? Doesn't mean I like his soddin' plays or poems."

"Oh my God, you actually read Shakespeare when you were a kid? That is so…English of you." Buffy crinkled her nose adorably and Spike found himself wanting to grab and kiss her until she was weak in the knees.

He chided himself for thinking like a love sick school boy and shoved the thought aside. "Fine, I'll admit that I wasn't always this cool and sexy but if you tell anyone, and I mean, _any_ bloody one, you will pay dearly for it. Understood, sunshine?"

Buffy leaned towards him as she burst into laughter and clutched her abdomen. When she finally managed to stop, she wiped at her tears and shook her head, "You're just a sweet little puppy dog under all that black leather and tight pants, aren't you?"

Spike's eyes darkened at the mention of his pants and in a low tone that sounded like a growl, he whispered, "Trust me, Buffy, there's nothing little underneath all this."

He swore he could see her pupils dilate as her eyes widened. The smile on her face was gone, and her tongue darted out to wet her lips. She chanced a quick glance at his crotch before looking back up at him. Seeing her reaction, he leered at her and chuckled, "And wouldn't you like to find that out for yourself."

She took a shaky breath and looked like she was about to say something, but the words never came.

Mercifully, he ended the tension by changing the subject. "You can show me your paper later, pet. Let's start getting the table set for dinner." He got up first and held a hand out to her. Buffy nodded and took it tentatively, letting him pull her up. Despite the urge to shove him against the wall and have her way with him, she managed to calmly get the plates and utensils out while Spike laid the food out on the dinner table.

They moved about in silence, occasionally stealing glances at each other. They didn't speak again until Joyce and Dawn joined them for dinner.

When it was over, Joyce insisted on clearing the table herself and made the rest of them go out into the living room. Dawn took a seat on the couch and started channel surfing while Buffy ran up to her room to get a copy of her paper printed out for Spike.

"So how's the mission going?" Dawn whispered conspiratorially as Spike sat beside her. She hit the volume up button on the television remote control so they wouldn't risk being overheard.

"Okay, I think," he replied, keeping one eye on the stairs for Buffy. "You deserve an Oscar for that performance, Nibblet."

"Maybe I should've joined the Drama club." Dawn chuckled. "But my mad acting skills aside, are you seriously going to help her with that paper?"

Spike took his attention off the stairs for a second to look at the younger Summers. "Well, I'm a man of my word, aren't I? And after all, I am English. So really, how hard can it be? The Bard's practically like my great, great, great granddad."

Dawn rolled her eyes at the exaggeration but before she could comment, Buffy came bounding down the stairs.

Spike and Dawn exchanged a brief look before he got up and moved towards Buffy.

"Here you go. Remember, it's not quite done yet so don't expect too much." She smiled somewhat shyly as she handed him her work.

"I'm sure it's going to be absolutely fine." He assured her.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, but thank you for doing this."

"No worries, luv." He took his coat and said his goodbyes to Joyce and Dawn before heading for the door, Buffy following close behind.

When they were alone on the porch, the sudden quiet between them seemed peaceful. The awkwardness they'd felt earlier in the kitchen was nowhere to be found.

"Thanks for making me stay for dinner. I had a great time getting to know your mom."

"Thanks for helping Dawn and for looking at my paper." She smiled back. Admittedly, it felt nice to be around him when he wasn't annoying her.

Spike stepped forward and gently placed a hand on her am, "I hope this isn't going to make me sound too pushy, but go out with me, pet. Give me one chance."

Buffy heard the minor plea in his voice and was surprised at how vulnerable and earnest he seemed. She looked deep into his cerulean eyes and wondered if there would be any harm in just one date. As long as she didn't allow herself to fall too deeply into things this time, maybe it would do her some good.

"Cordelia Chase is throwing a party this weekend at her place and she's invited the entire band over. We're allowed to bring a plus one, so I'm hoping you'll come with me."

Buffy gave a lopsided grin, "So our first date's going to be at some wild party filled with college kids and hosted by the infamous Cordy?"

"You know her?"

She shrugged a little. "We were friends a long time ago but you know how it is. People change and we drifted apart. I know she used to date Devon, but I didn't realize she had kept in contact with the rest of the band."

"If you're not comfortable with it, we can always do something else," he suggested, "Whatever tickles your fancy."

"No, it's okay. A party sounds fun, actually." She nodded positively. At least she didn't have to worry about things getting too romantic between them. "Beats the usual boring candle lit dinner and a movie, right?"

"Can't quite tell if you're being serious or sarcastic, pet."

Buffy laughed, "You haven't been to one of her parties before, have you?"

Spike shook his head.

"Well then mister, you should brace yourself because if her standards haven't changed, I'm pretty sure it's going to get pretty wild and freaky. What's the occasion, anyway?"

"I think it's a housewarming. Told Oz she moved to a new mansion or something a couple of weeks ago and it's in need of a proper warming up."

"Ugh, life is so unfair." Buffy rolled her eyes, "I bet she churns out fifteen page papers in her sleep, too."

Spike chuckled. "I'm sure your paper's fine. Let me take a look and I'll meet you at the library tomorrow to run through it."

She nodded and smiled, grateful that he was sincere about helping her with her paper. On impulse, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek, blushing slightly as she did so.

Spike's face broke into a wide grin. He didn't know why a simple, chaste kiss on the cheek would make him feel so elated but he was, and Buffy could see it too. She grinned back at him and wished him goodnight before heading back inside.

After she left, Spike headed towards his DeSoto that was parked nearby. The happiness he was feeling subsided as he remorsefully remembered why he was even here in the first place. It lasted for a while before he berated himself for feeling guilty, reminding himself that she probably would've never said yes or even wanted to get to know him if he hadn't been there for Dawn or offered to help with her paper. A nauseating thought occurred and it made him sick in the pit of his stomach. What if the only reason she had said yes was _because_ he was helping Dawn and offering to help with her paper?

Then again, who was he to get upset when his own intentions weren't entirely pure either?

"You're doing this for the money and the guitar, you git. Best remember that," he said to himself as he started up the car. Hitting the gas pedal, he peeled down the street and into the night, wishing that the tiny voice of guilt would leave him be.


	11. Ch 11–A Little Party Never Killed Nobody

"_I ain't got time for you baby_

_Either you're mine, or you're not_

_Make up your mind sweet baby_

_Right here, right now's all we got_

_A little party never killed nobody_

_So we gon' dance until we drop, drop_

_A little party never killed nobody_

_Right here, right now's all we got__" _

~_Fergie_~

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11 – A Little Party Never Killed Nobody<strong>

Drawn by the music blasting loudly from her daughter's cell phone, Joyce folded her arms as she entered the room, watching Dawn put her makeup on and humming along to the song.

"And where are you going tonight, young lady?"

Dawn turned slowly and stared at her mother like a deer caught in headlights. "Umm…I'm meeting a small study group of friends later," she attempted weakly, although the short red dress and smoky makeup she wore indicated otherwise.

Without missing a beat, Joyce asked with a raised eyebrow, "Otherwise known as an orgy?"

The young Summers dropped her blusher on the dresser and made an appalled face at her mother. "Eww, Mom, that's so gross!" She sighed, knowing there was no point in trying to hide things. "It's just a harmless party."

"And hell is just a sauna."

"And you're not being fair. You said if Buffy went on a date, then so could I." She pouted sullenly, picking up the blusher to finish her makeup.

"You're dressed like that for a date?" Joyce exclaimed, with widened eyes.

"Uh…" Dawn started nervously. She had meant to break the news to her mother gently. "Did you hear the part where I said Buffy had a date?"

"Oh, I heard that perfectly fine, Dawn. But you still haven't answered my question."

"Didn't you say I looked cute when you got me this outfit last Christmas? I don't see why you're making a big deal out of this," Dawn groaned.

"Because that was before I knew you were going to wear it out on a date at some wild party!"

As Dawn was about to reply to her mother, she caught sight of Buffy walking past her room on her way to the stairs.

"Buffy!" She screeched aloud, speeding out of the bedroom past a stunned Joyce to catch her sister. Roughly, she yanked Buffy's arm and they both stumbled backwards.

"Geez, Dawnie!" Buffy cried, after nearly getting squashed against the wall by her little sister. "Did you eat spinach for breakfast this morning? You could give Popeye a run for his money!"

"You're going to Cordy's party tonight with Spike, right?"

Buffy was taken aback by her question. "H-How did you know that?"

"For starters, you're obviously dressed for a party, Miss Hoochie Momma." Dawn smirked, admiring her sister's knee length boots and tight fit short black dress that showed off ample cleavage. She also noted the loose curls and smoky eyes that were similar to her own. "Nice touch with the hair and makeup too. It's all so smoldering and sexy!"

Unaccustomed to hearing herself being called such suggestive things, Buffy exclaimed in terror, "Oh God, it's too much, isn't it? I look like the whore of Babylon!"

Dawn shook her head and grinned. "Nah, it's totally fine. But if mom thought I was dressed inappropriately for the party, just wait till she sees you."

Buffy narrowed her eyes at her sister. "Hold on a sec, did you just say you're dressed for a party, and in _that_ dress?"

Right on cue, they heard their mother walk up to them. "Girls, can someone explain to me what's going on?"

"Mom, could you let me have a word with Buffy in private for a minute, please?" Before her mother could answer, she dragged Buffy into the nearest room, which happened to be Buffy's bedroom, and shut the door lightly.

Dawn looked to her sister with her best imploring puppy dog eyes. "Buffy, just this once, could you be like a normal sister and help me out, please? Xander asked me to go with him and I said yes."

"Xander is friends with Cordy too? Geez, can someone tell me who she _doesn't _know?"

"Well, hanging out with the Dingoes has its benefits, doesn't it?" Dawn chirped, but then turned serious again. "But that's not the point! Thing is…Mom isn't going to let me go out with Xander until you tell her you're on a date as well. And uh…it'll probably help if you can explain to her that there isn't going to be an orgy at the party."

Buffy frowned, unsure if letting her sister be exposed to one of Cordy's infamous parties would be a good thing. "I can't guarantee that there won't be an orgy, but I don't know, Dawnie. You've never been to one of her parties before. Things can get real hairy and…"

"Mom never knew, but I remember how you used to sneak back at five or six in the morning reeking of sweat, smoke, and alcohol when you were still friends with her. So I think I've got a pretty good idea of what to expect. Please, Buffy, I'm begging you, just be my sister this once and let me experience what college life has to offer!"

She felt her heart softening. It was true that Dawn had never once ratted on her back then and even went as far as helping to ease her hangovers the next day by making sure she drank lots of fluids and ate plenty of toast. Despite not being old enough to legally get drunk herself, Buffy remembered how Dawn proudly shared that the internet had taught her that eating toast was one of the best ways to cure a hangover.

"Xander will take me home if things get too wild there, I promise." Dawn grabbed both her hands and squeezed them for effect. "C'mon, please, Buff?" she pouted sadly.

That look she gave was the straw that broke Buffy's back. She caved and nodded in agreement. "Alright, I'll talk to Mom about it just this once. But it doesn't mean that I won't be watching Xander like a hawk later. If he tries any funny business with you, I won't hesitate to smack the living daylights out of him."

Dawn saw the grin on Buffy's face and she couldn't resist the squeal that escaped her. She hugged her sister tightly and squeaked, "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I love you, Buffy!"

Buffy gave a tiny smile against the bone crushing hug and whispered back, "Love you too, Dawnie."

* * *

><p>When the doorbell rang, Buffy sprinted to get the door. As much as she loved her sister, she was grateful to escape her mother's lecture about the evils of college parties and the causes of unwanted pregnancies.<p>

"Hey you," she greeted her date, happy to see him standing in the doorway. He reminded her of James Dean in _Rebel Without a Cause_ with his dark red shirt unbuttoned over a white tee worn with black jeans and boots.

Spike took a moment to appreciate how sultry she looked in her little black dress as well, before replying, "Hello, pet. Are we ready to go?"

"You bet your sweet ass I am," she whispered softly, not wanting her mother to overhear.

"Hey, Spike!" yelled Dawn from the living room.

"Hello Nibblet. Joyce." He waved at the two other Summers women in the living room.

"Hi Spike. Have fun later and take good care of Buffy, okay?" Joyce smiled.

"Absolutely, I'll make sure of it," he replied.

"See, Mom? I'm going to be all taken care of. Don't you worry about a thing, we'll be perfectly fine!" Buffy caught Dawn glaring daggers at her, but the older sister smiled sweetly and waved at her family, "Bye family! Love you!"

And with that she shoved Spike out the door, slamming it behind her. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him along hurriedly.

"Hurry up slow poke, let's get to your car pronto!"

Although he let himself be dragged along by the assertive blonde, Spike frowned in confusion. "Not that I'm complaining, but why are we in such a rush?"

"Just in case Mom changes her mind and decides that I need to listen to her whole sermon about parties and pregnancies too."

Spike laughed. "So that's why the Little Bit looked like she was in such pain."

"Yeah, it comes as part of the party package. Attendance to lecture is compulsory for certification to date."

He was still chuckling when he started the car, "The poor kiddo."

"I bet Xander's going to get one too when he comes by to pick her up later." Buffy giggled.

Spike snickered, "Damn, almost wish I could see the look on the wanker's face when that happens."

"Hey, don't be so evil!" She chastised half-heartedly, a small smile playing on her lips.

"What can I tell you, baby? I've always been bad." He tossed a devilish grin at her before stepping on the accelerator.

* * *

><p>While Spike went to park the car, Buffy went ahead to the mansion to find Willow, Oz, and the rest of the Dingoes. Unfortunately for her, the first person she ran into was the last human being on earth she wanted to see.<p>

"Buffy, babe, you are looking so damn _fine_!" Parker leered, eyes openly roving all over her body. "I'll admit, when you're dressed like that, it makes me want to relive those good ol' days we had together."

She resisted the urge to throw her drink at him and rolled her eyes, "Get lost Parker. The party's just started and you're already shitfaced."

"Hardly. I'm nicely buzzed is all. You're just being a bitch 'cause you're jealous."

Buffy laughed, "Excuse me, but in what universe would that ever be possible?"

"Admit it. You're being bitter because Dawn and I've been getting along with each other so… nicely." He winked suggestively.

Eyes narrowing, Buffy hissed, "You stay the hell away from my sister, you son of a bitch. If I catch you touching even a single hair on her head, I'll make sure you regret it."

"Sure, hot stuff. I can stay away from her if you want, but what's to say she'll stay away from me?" He gave an arrogant sneer before walking off.

By the time Spike found her alone by the bar in the lounging area, she was already up to her third tequila shot.

"Buffy? Are you alright, luv?" he asked, noting the change in her mood since he'd last seen her.

"Why wouldn't I be? Everything is just peachy," she deadpanned, grabbing another shot from a passing tray.

"Maybe you should take it easy on these." Gently, he took the shot out of her hand. "We just got here, and there's plenty of time, right?"

"Spike, isn't this what people do at parties? Get smashed till they pass out and forget everything that's crap in their life? And why do you care anyway?" With that, she snatched the shot back from him and blended into the crowd, leaving Spike staring after her in shock.

"Buggerin' hell…what happened to the chit?"

"Parker happened, that's what," someone said behind him.

Spike turned to find Cordelia looking at him with a sympathetic expression. "What did that witless arsehole do to her?"

"Not sure, but I saw them talking earlier. Wasn't close enough to hear any of it, but it didn't look like a friendly conversation. Here." She offered him a drink and patted his arm. "It looks like you need it."

"Thanks." He downed it in one go. For some reason, he didn't like the idea of seeing Buffy so distraught, especially if it was because of some pathetic excuse for a worm like Parker.

"You should know that the only reason he can get to her so easy is because they've got some history."

Spike quirked a scarred eyebrow, "Balls. You're not actually serious, are you?"

"I was still her friend when it happened, but they didn't last long. Evidently things crashed and burned badly between them, but that's all I know," she offered truthfully.

* * *

><p>By the time Xander and Dawn arrived, the party was in full swing. There was loud music playing, drinks were being passed around, and there were people all over the property.<p>

"So where should we start?" Xander looked around, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the large estate.

"How about we start at the back where the pool is? I'm sure that'll be fun." She pulled him along before he could even reply.

"But how do you know there's a pool out back?"

"Xand, this place is practically the size of Vatican City. Trust me when I say there will be a pool out back. C'mon!"

When they made it to the back of the house Xander stopped in his tracks, causing Dawn to pause at his side as well.

"Jesus, Joseph, and Mary on a bicycle!" he proclaimed in shock.

"Pretty sweet, huh?" Dawn grinned, nudging him forward. She walked into the luxurious cabana that was beside the huge pool and Jacuzzi. "I wish I'd brought my swimwear!"

Imaging her in a bikini brought Xander's attention back to her.

"Me too," he said sheepishly.

Dawn giggled, "Don't go getting any naughty ideas now, Mr. Harris."

"But you put it there!" he pouted.

"Why don't you get us some drinks and I'll wait here by this deck chair," she suggested, already settling into it.

"Sure, sounds like a great idea. What do you want?"

"I'll have whatever you're having." She shrugged.

Barely five minutes had gone by after Xander left, before Parker spotted her at the edge of the deck chair, talking to another girl.

"Hey Dawn." He approached with a smile. "Didn't know you were invited as well. This is a nice surprise!"

Dawn reciprocated with a friendly smile, "Hi Parker, great to see you too."

Thinking he was her date, the other girl excused herself and went to look for her other friends. Not wanting to leave her alone, Parker sat by her side on the deck chair.

"You're looking very beautiful tonight," he said, gently tucking her hair behind her ear.

Xander was on his way back to the cabana, when he saw Parker beside Dawn. He froze on the spot again, feet refusing to take another step. The sight of Dawn smiling at the other guy made his blood boil but he didn't want to confront them in this state. Taking a few deep breaths, he made a beeline back inside the mansion.

"Thank you. You're not looking too shabby yourself." Dawn grinned back.

Parker laughed, "I hope so. I can be terrible when it comes to mixing and matching outfits."

Dawn nodded, "It's really okay, Parker, don't beat yourself up about it. It's true what they say, you know?"

"And that would be?"

"Some people need more help than others in the fashion department." She made it a point to look at his feet and shook her head. "This is especially true when they decide to wear white socks with dress shoes. I'm sorry, but the fashion police are going to give you a ticket for that criminal offense."

"Ouch!" Parker made a hurt expression, "That definitely burned!"

They both laughed out loud and when they were done, Dawn apologized, "I'm so sorry, I know that was really mean of me, but I hope you're not too offended."

"You know, I never knew white socks could be so damaging to a man's fashion cred."

"Well, good that you know now, right?"

"Tell me about it. I wouldn't want to get arrested by the fashion police for mismatched socks and shoes of all things." They exchanged a smile and after a few moments, he asked, "So are you here with anyone?"

"Yeah, I'm here with a friend but he's gone to get some drinks." She stood up and looked around the area, hoping Xander would be back by now.

Seeing no sign of him, she sighed and flopped back to her spot, wondering what was taking him so long.

Parker shook his head in disapproval, "Frankly, if I were him, I wouldn't let you out of my sight."

Dawn blushed, "I'm sure you're just saying that to be sweet, but thanks anyway."

"I'm simply being honest, Dawn. Look, if it'll make you feel better, let me sit with you until your friend comes back."

She nodded in agreement and pulled out her cell phone, texting Xander to ask where he was. Parker started talking about something else, but Dawn was only half listening. She held the phone in her hands and constantly checked on it, hoping he would either reply to her texts or turn up soon.

Half an hour later, when there was still no sign of Xander, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Politely telling Parker she was going to meet other friends, she made her way into the mansion to look for him.

* * *

><p>Buffy had already lost her boots and socks, and was about to take her dress off when Spike barged in with Willow and Oz following close behind.<p>

His gaze swept across the den, noting the poker cards on the table and everyone else's various states of undress. Articles of clothing were thrown about everywhere and shot glasses, most of which were empty, lined the other end of the table they surrounded.

"Oh, crap!" He heard Willow behind him gasping in shock, confirming his suspicions that this behavior wasn't like Buffy at all.

"At least we can tell Chester and Sam we've finally found her," Oz mumbled.

"Hi Spike." Buffy smiled seductively as she approached him. "Wanna play strip poker with us?"

Normally, an invitation like that would've had him ravishing the girl in question. However, in this particular case, he was more furious and worried than turned on.

"Would love to, but not right now pet. It's time we got you some fresh air." He walked over briskly, grabbing her boots, which were thankfully already stuffed with her socks, and then seizing her in his arms, lifted her easily across his shoulders in a fireman's lift.

There were objections and jeers from all the poker players in the room, including Buffy, as she uselessly kicked her legs about. Spike ignored them and exited without a word, not stopping until they were outside in the garden.

He tossed the boots next to a lawn chair and then dumped her unceremoniously into it.

"Are you going to be okay, Spike?" Willow asked. "Like, do you need any help with our awfully inebriated friend?"

Oz was quiet but he wore the same concerned expression as his girlfriend.

Spike gave the couple a tight smile. "I'm okay, Red, I've got her. No reason why the rest of you can't enjoy the party, right?"

Willow frowned, but reluctantly agreed. "Alright then, but if you need any support just give us a call and we'll come running, I promise."

Nodding in agreement, Oz said, "Stay safe and keep us posted, okay?"

When they were gone, Spike looked down at the sunny blonde heap in the chair and let out a tired sigh. So much for a first date, he thought.

"You're such a killjoy!" She whined, glaring at him as she pushed her hair out of her face.

Spike glowered back down at her and with a stern tone, he growled, "You've been a very bad girl, Buffy."

Though he meant it seriously, it was impossible for her not to get any wicked ideas about being bad in her intoxicated state. Fluttering her lashes, she challenged him, asking huskily, "That's right, and whatcha gonna do about it, Spikey? Spank me for being naughty?"

Although he was taken aback, and admittedly getting a little turned on by her provocative retort, he wasn't going to let her off the hook that easily. Just as he was about to reply, Xander came up to him. "Spike, I need to talk to you."

Spike rolled his eyes, "Can't you see I'm a little busy here, mate?" He indicated Buffy who was now trying to put her socks on and failing badly.

"It's about Dawn," he pleaded urgently, "I only left her alone for a minute and that scumbag, Parker is already all over her! I'm not sure who's making me madder between the two of them. I mean, I'm supposed to be her date, damn it! How can she even talk to him?"

"And you simply left her there?"

"What else was I supposed to do? Act like a jealous boyfriend and beat the shit out of that slime ball?"

Spike clenched his jaw in annoyance. "Xander, do you, or do you not, like Dawn?"

"I do, but…"

"No buts, Xand. Either you like her enough to work for it, or you don't. I don't know you all that well yet, but from what I can see, you're a lot more of a man than Parker ever will be. So if you like her as much as you say that you do, then bloody grow a pair and tell the girl how you feel."

Not bothering to wait for a response, he turned his attention back to Buffy. Kneeling in front of her, he lifted her chin up so she could focus on his face. "C'mon, sweet kitten, it's time to get your boots on. I'm gettin' you out of here."

* * *

><p>Dawn stared in awe as a screaming and kicking Buffy was carried out of the mansion by Spike, followed by a frantic Willow and Oz hurrying closely behind. She would've followed as well but she was too exhausted to run after them. She had wasted most of her night trying to find Xander and all she had gotten for her efforts was a pair of sore feet from walking all over the place in heels. She was about to head for the nearest seat when she bumped straight into Parker.<p>

"I'm sorry!" she cried, "Just a little frazzled, I didn't mean to crash into you."

"Hey again." He smiled, holding her back a little. "Are you okay?"

"I sure am," she replied miserably.

"Couldn't find your friend, huh?"

"I'm guessing he got lost somewhere between the library and the cabana." She shrugged.

"Gosh, let's get you a seat."

Slipping an arm around her waist, he walked her to a nearby loveseat. She fell into him a little as they settled in, his arm tightening around her.

"Oops," she laughed, trying to pull away. "Parker, you can let me go now, I'm alright."

"What if I don't want to let you go?" he asked, his other arm encircling her smoothly.

"Parker, I'm not looking for…"

"Dawn, hear me out, please. You're really the sweetest girl I've met in a long time and I'd really like to get to know you better if you'd let me..."

"She's not letting you do anything, jerkface." Xander scowled, yanking Dawn abruptly out of Parker's arms and up to her feet.

"Xander!" She gasped.

"I'm guessing you're the asswipe who left her alone for the past hour," Parker countered, standing up to face Xander.

"Well, she's not alone anymore, so piss off."

Dawn pulled Xander back and stepped between them. "Parker, please. Let's not make a scene here. We'll talk later, okay?"

For a moment, he looked like he was about to argue, but instead nodded reluctantly. "You know you deserve better, Dawn," he said, before storming off.

When he was gone, Dawn whipped around and yelled at Xander, "You have got some serious nerve behaving that way, acting like you own me. Who the heck do you think you are? You left me waiting for an hour and you didn't even bother to reply to any of my texts! If anyone's the jerkface around here, it's you!"

Even with her swollen and achy feet, Dawn managed to make her way back out to the poolside in quick strides, leaving Xander to chase after her.

"Dawn, please, I'm sorry," he pleaded when he finally managed to catch up. Oddly enough, they were back at the cabana. "I know I was an idiot for what I did but please, I'm begging you to at least hear me out before you decide to never talk to me again."

She dropped into the nearest deck chair. Folding her arms, she narrowed her eyes at him. "You've got five minutes, Harris, starting right now."


	12. Ch 12–Give Me Novacaine

"_Take away the sensation inside_

_Bitter sweet migraine in my head_

_It's like a throbbing tooth ache of the mind_

_I can't take this feeling anymore_

_Drain the pressure from the swelling_

_The sensation's overwhelming_

_Give me a long kiss goodnight_

_And everything will be alright_

_Tell me that I won't feel a thing_

_So give me novacaine_"

~Green Day~

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12 – Give Me Novacaine<strong>

The faint sound of melodic rock playing in the background was strangely soothing as was the smooth velvety voice softly calling her from afar. Her body, however, was reluctant to move in the comfort of her seat and her mind felt fuzzy and slow.

"Buffy, luv, wake up."

Spike shook her slightly then tried again, leaning across his seat to better reach her. "Pet, c'mon now, rise and shine. Can't afford to be stuck in the parking lot all night now, we got to sober you up."

She groaned incoherently, head lolling to the side and thumping against the cool pane of glass of the window. She felt someone pulling her back upright, followed by a pair of hands holding her head up, before tilting it to the other side.

The calming voice sounded closer now. "Don't let me down, Buffy. I want to see those fields of green."

Her eyes slowly fluttered open to see the color of deep ocean blue staring back at her.

"Wow," she croaked roughly, "did anyone ever tell you you've got reeaaally pretty eyes?"

Said pair of eyes lit up and the corners crinkled as he smiled in relief.

"Hmmmm, and a veeeerry kissable set of lips." Her green eyes were suddenly alight with something Spike presumed was drunken lust.

He gulped nervously, "Not that I don't love this boozed up and refreshingly honest version of you, but we can't stay here in my car, luv."

"Is there a law that says we can't?" she pouted, and before he knew what was happening, she scrambled forward, clumsily trying to climb on top of him. Despite Spike's attempts to get her off, she'd somehow managed to grab and squeeze at his crotch, giggling as she did so. He cursed under his breath and bit his lower lip in an attempt to avoid the temptation of her invitation.

As much as he wanted to take her right then, he knew it wouldn't be good for the plan. More importantly, the same part of him that secretly loved Shakespeare also told him that it wouldn't be right to take advantage of her in this state.

"Damn chivalry and conscience." He growled to himself, as he struggled to push her back gently to her side of the seat.

"What?" She asked, ignoring his efforts, still trying to shove her way up on top of him.

With a grunt of force, Spike finally managed to catch hold of her arms, keeping her away from him firmly, "C'mon pet, I've got a better idea."

Buffy stopped squirming and squinted at him. "What could be better than having hot monkey sex right here in the car?"

His body tensed at the imagery and he fought the almost blinding need to shout out a few swear words at the top of his lungs simply to ease the pressure. He was conflicted, one part of him seething with immense hatred at the rest of him for behaving like such a gentleman when he least wanted to be one.

It took a few moments but once he composed himself, he said to her playfully, "Why don't we go up to my apartment and you can see for yourself."

She grinned even wider at the prospect of racy fun in his apartment. Even though some tiny part at the back of her brain was warning her of the potential danger, every other part was telling her to pounce on Spike and have her way with him.

"You're right, that does sound like a better idea." She licked her lips in anticipation and giggled, "I've got a few things I want to try that require lots more space!"

Spike rolled his eyes and suppressed a groan, as he tried to ignore the painful tightening in his pants.

* * *

><p>"Oh yeah, baby, that is soooo gooood." She moaned in ecstasy.<p>

Buffy hadn't realized how hungry she was until Spike put the dish in front of her. One whiff was all it took before she started scarfing down the grilled cheese sandwich.

He chuckled in reply, "The secret's in the bacon bits and extra cheddar. Till this day, I still think it's one of the best things you can eat at three in the morning when you're completely smashed."

"Phooey. I'm not drunk, mister!" She insisted, although it was clear to Spike that she still was. He poured them both fresh cups of coffee and took a big gulp from his before placing the other cup next to the plate of grilled cheese. He then joined her at the small dining table, silently watching her wolf down her food with much gusto.

After he'd managed to settle her down on his couch without her trying to remove his pants, Spike had gone to the kitchen to whip up the fastest thing he could think of, given the limited supplies he had. By the time he was done, she was already lightly snoring on his couch and he had to wake her up again.

"Say, did I pass out at some point?" She asked in between chews of melted cheese. "Funny thing is, I can't recall how I got here, but I vaguely remember we were supposed to do something else. How weird is that?"

_Damn soddin' hilarious, considering we were supposed to have wild primate sex all over my apartment_, he thought dejectedly. He was already regretting his earlier act of gallantry and while he was pretty sure she would forget everything he'd say in a minute, he replied to her question anyway.

"Actually, yes, you did pass out in my car, pet. Had to wake you up and then practically carry you up here, so thank God I'm only on the third floor, 'cause my legs were about to break if I had to climb another flight of those bleedin' stairs."

"And why are we at your place in the first place…?"

"Figured sending you home in your current state would make your mom go mental if she saw. Thought it might be better to sober you up a little before I sent you home to her."

"Awwwww." Buffy smiled warmly. "And you were even kind enough to make me coffee and grilled cheese. I'm really touched."

Spike gave a small shrug and an almost bashful smile, "Promised your mom I'd take care of you, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but you didn't have to do such a good job of it. You've set the bar so high now, I'll be expecting this again next time someone says they'll take care of me."

Spike paused for a beat, trying to gauge if it was the right time to ask her about what had happened. "Luv, not that I want to pry but the only reason you got drunk tonight seems to be because that git made you upset."

At the mention of Parker, she looked down at the crumbs on her plate, avoiding Spike's searching gaze. "Not sure what you're talking about."

"You know bloody well who I'm referring to even if you're only half sober. Buffy, a bloke can't help but notice when the girl he's on a date with completely changes her disposition after he parks his car."

Shifting uncomfortably, she halfheartedly poked at what was left of her food. "So you're saying I'm a lousy date?"

Spike scoffed, "You were a wonderful date, even when you were kicking your legs and yelling at me. It's just… why'd you let Parker do that?"

"Do what?"

Spike could start to hear the defensiveness in her voice, but he pressed on, "Get to you like that."

She looked up at him this time. "That's like asking a dog why it would want to chase a cat. I mean, the guy's an asshat and I hate him. End of story. What else is there to say?"

Now that she was sobering up, Spike could see her walls were going back up as well and thought it best not to push her further. He nodded and got up to clear her plate. "Well, whatever it is, you should know that no matter what went on between you two, he's just a nobody and you, luv, are worth so much more than you realize. If the berk ever tries to get on your nerves again, just remember to keep calm and smack the living daylights out of him."

Buffy took a second to let his words sink in, before mumbling, "Thanks Spike."

"No worries, Buffy."

They looked at each other for a moment and then she couldn't help but snicker, "You know, you're actually a lot nicer than I thought."

"Oi!" Protested Spike, "That's downright offensive. You take that back, woman. Certainly won't have you sullying my Big Bad reputation."

She impishly poked her tongue out at him and he found himself fighting the urge to grab her and kiss her silly right there and then.

* * *

><p>By the time they reached Revello Drive, it was half past four in the morning.<p>

"Here we are." She shrugged sheepishly, "Home, sweet home."

Killing the engine, Spike leaned back and took a peek at the front porch. "Reckon your mom would kill me for sending you back this early in the morning?"

"Nah, she's probably asleep. She would've called my cell hours ago if she was waiting up."

"Well, that's good to know. Don't want you to getting into any trouble, pet."

"Meh, don't worry about it. And…umm…I'm sorry for being such a crappy date, by the way." She frowned, "I know the thing with Parker was dumb on my part and taking it out on you wasn't fair."

"It's alright, Buffy. Just promise me you won't let him get to you ever again."

She wasn't sure if she could keep that promise but she braved a small smile. "Okay, I vow to try my very best."

Admiring her fortitude, Spike beamed, "That's my girl."

"Woah, wait up, what did you just say there, buddy? What did you mean I'm your girl?"

"Uh…it's merely an expression, pet. It doesn't mean anything, really. I'm sorry if it's offensive or anything like that." He panicked at her sudden annoyance at him. If he wasn't already quite sure she was sober by now, this was a pretty clear enough indication that the open and drunk Buffy had left the building.

"Oh, is that so?" she asked in a serious tone.

Spike didn't quite know how to reply to that and just when he thought she was about to go postal on him, she broke into a cheeky grin.

"Had you there for a second there, didn't I?" She laughed.

"Bloody hell, you think it's funny, eh?" He growled at her, "Making a poor bloke all stressed out over nothing."

"You look so cute when you get nervy." She teased.

"Hey now, let's not get crazy here. I can assure you, cute isn't the right adjective for me."

"On the contrary, I think it suits you perfectly." She grinned.

Spike rolled his eyes, "Bloody hell. You do one nice thing and everyone thinks you're a bleedin' Care Bear."

"Speaking of being nice," Buffy said nervously, despite her jumbled thoughts and anxiety, she tried to apologize, "I had a great time tonight, even with the parts I can't remember, and I'm sure this wasn't quite the date you expected. So, you know, I totally understand if you don't want to go out with me anymore. And yeah, again, I'm really sorry if I ruined your night but..."

"Buffy," Spike interrupted, cutting her rambling short. "Luv, hush up and listen here."

She pursed her lips together and nodded, eyeing him worriedly. While she predicted that he was going to graciously take the out that she'd offered him, it was impossible for her not feel a little disappointed about it.

Spike tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and said, "Firstly, you're not the only person in the world with issues and problems, so please don't sell yourself short because contrary to popular belief, you are a great girl. And secondly, if you want to make it up to me, how about we go out on another date? A right proper type of date too, just so we're clear."

"Wait, I'm sorry, but you said another what?" She asked in surprise, sure that her ears were playing tricks on her.

"You heard me." He chucked in a low rumble that made her feel all warm and tingly. "Let's go do something fun next weekend, just you and me, and all will be forgiven."

"You sure you're not drunk? Or did you, at any point, hurt your head at the party?"

"For Christ's sake, nothing's wrong with my head, you silly bint! Is it so hard to believe that I want to go out with you again?"

While her hormones were screaming yes to another date, her brain was telling her no. Buffy bit her lower lip, not knowing which side to choose.

"I promise there'll be ice cream at some point…and chocolate too if you're good." He winked playfully.

That bit of enticement helped motivate her to a decision.

"Okay, mister but it'd better be Ben and Jerry's Half Baked."

"Consider it done, pet."

Buffy felt her heart pounding when he flashed a smirk that promised lots of wicked things and a whole lot more if she played her cards right. She prayed that she wasn't going to get in over her head with whatever it was that was happening between them.

* * *

><p>When she snuck into her bedroom, the shadowed form of Dawn staring at her from her bed nearly made her yelp in surprise.<p>

"Dawnie, what the hell?" she whispered angrily. "Don't just sit and lurk in the dark like that. That's plain disturbing and creepy. And shouldn't you be asleep in your room by now?"

Dawn giggled, "I couldn't sleep, Buffy! Too excited right now and I wanted to gossip for a while. Plus," Dawn folded her arms and narrowed her eyes at her sister, "I could say the same for you. I was home hours ago. Were you and Spike busy having sex somewhere or something?"

Buffy's eyes widened like saucers as she came to sit beside her sister. "Dawn, where are your manners? You don't ask someone outright if they've had sex. And for your information, not that it's any of your bee's wax in the first place, no we did not have sex."

Dawn frowned. "Well, that's a depressing pity. I would've eaten him up like a piece of Krispy Kreme's Original Glazed doughnut if I were you."

Buffy rolled her eyes, "I'm assuming you're not here to only gossip about me and him, right?"

Dawn grinned. "True that. I also wanted to tell you that Xander and I kissed."

"What?" Buffy would've shouted it out loud if it wasn't so early in the morning. "When the heck did that happen?"

"In the car, when he drove me home earlier. It was actually kind of sweet."

"Dawn, please tell me you're not serious." Buffy deadpanned, not daring to trust her sister. "How in the world did that happen?"

"Well, the short version is that he screwed up big time, and just when I was about to hand him his ass, he begged for a chance to explain and after he did, I decided to forgive the guy and during the whole drive back home, he kept on apologizing and I'm not sure if I found it endearing or annoying and I just wanted him to shut up because the next thing I knew, I grabbed him for a kiss and I think I pretty much knocked his socks off."

"And that's the short version?"

Dawn nodded with a lopsided grin.

"Geez Louise. I am now scarred for life with that imagery."

"I've actually never done anything like that before, you know?" Dawn found herself blushing, "I mean, making the first move when it comes to kissing a guy. I hope that doesn't make me seem like I'm slutty or whatever."

Buffy couldn't help but laugh at her sister. "As long as you're not going around kissing every college boy you find cute. If you really like Xander and the feeling's mutual, then I suppose there's no harm in it."

It was Dawn's turn to roll her eyes. "Yeah right, as if I'd ever have the luck to make out with every hot guy on campus!"

"Hey, you never know Dawnie. In a few years, you'll be breaking hearts and taking names wherever you go. Look out, boys!"

"Okay, drama queen, relax. It's only Xander. And speaking of breaking hearts, c'mon, spill, did you and Spike do anything that kids shouldn't be watching?" Dawn's eyes widened and she sat a little straighter.

"I hate to disappoint you but nothing really happened, at least, I don't think so. I can't really remember all of it, to tell the truth. I…I may have tried to do something when we were in his car, but I'm not sure. I sorta have this vague memory of grabbing something that I probably shouldn't have, but it didn't seem like it went anywhere because what I do remember is that he made me a mean grilled cheese sandwich and coffee when we went to his apartment and I was fully clothed."

"Buffy!" Dawn's jaw dropped. "You had the golden opportunity of being in his apartment and you two didn't get down and dirty?"

"Shhhhh!" Buffy rushed to cover her sister's mouth. "Not so loud, Dawn! Don't want to wake mom up, do we?"

She shook her head with Buffy's hand still covering her mouth.

"Remember to keep it down, or it's back to your room, you delinquent!" The older sister warned. Dawn nodded and Buffy removed her hand.

"I can't believe he's been such a…gentleman about it all." Buffy remarked, letting herself fall backwards on the bed, her legs dangling on the floor. "Like, how is that possible? I mean, you've seen the guy on stage and around the groupies. The man's like sex on a stick."

"I hope this means you're going to continue dating him."

Buffy pouted in a frown, "Hmm, in spite of how I royally ruined tonight, he did ask me out for another date."

Dawn squealed in delight and lunged to hug her sister tightly, whispering, "Oh Buffy, I'm so excited for you!"

"You're being a silly goose, you know that?"

"I haven't seen you go out with a guy in ages and if you ask me, some sex on a stick might do you good.

Buffy chuckled, "You are way too young to be saying things like that and not that I'll ever ask you, but thanks for the advice, Dawnie. Let's just see how this second round goes and not get ahead of things, okay. I don't really know what to expect with this guy."

"Fine, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Like, even though I seriously want to kill you sometimes, I still want you to be happy, Buff."

Dawn pulled away from her sister with a smile still stuck on her face.

A week ago, Buffy would've told her sister that it would be impossible for her to find happiness with a guy. But now, with this bleached blond Brit in her life, she wasn't sure anymore. Could Spike actually be the one who would make her happy? It did seem too good to be true, but she found a tiny part of her hoping for the impossible.


	13. Ch 13 – I Want You to Want Me

"_I want you to want me._

_I need you to need me._

_I'd love you to love me._

_I'm beggin' you to beg me._

_I want you to want me._

_I need you to need me._

_I'd love you to love me._

_I'll shine up my old brown shoes._

_I'll put on a brand new shirt_

_I'll get home early from work_

_If you say that you love me._"

~Cheap Trick~

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13 – I Want You to Want Me<strong>

Even though there was a huge crowd packed into the modest sized establishment, Spike had somehow sung it as if it was meant only for her alone. Watching her with that piercing gaze of his, she could feel the need and pain coming from each line of the song and Buffy couldn't deny that the whole performance was giving her tingles of excitement all over.

While it definitely made her feel good, there was also a part of her that hated the notion that he could make her feel this way. And the worse part of it all was that she couldn't blame him for it because tonight had been entirely her suggestion. She was the one who insisted on coming to The Venice Bar, a popular karaoke joint near their college. Thinking at the time that it would be funny, she was also the one who got him to put his name down to sing in front of tonight's crowd.

Although he was vehemently against doing such "tasteless things" at first, she'd eventually managed to goad him into rising to the challenge and even got him to pick out a song of his choice. Not surprisingly, the list of patrons who had signed up to go on stage had been extremely long and by the time it was Spike's turn to sing, they were already at the dessert stage of their dinner, which was, as promised to her, a double scoop of Ben and Jerry's Half Baked ice cream.

With all the confidence of a bona fide rock star, he went up on stage with a cocky swagger and gave her a leer before saying, "This goes out to my beautiful date, the cute little blonde sitting right at the back. Luv, thanks for making this a really fun night even if you did threaten to call me a bloke with no balls if I didn't come up and do this."

There was a roar of laughter from the crowds and Buffy felt herself sinking in her seat when people actually applauded and cheered at her. She made a mental note to strangle Spike later as she awkwardly returned the smiles of the strangers around her.

When he finally started to sing however, all thoughts of murder left her and by the time he was done with his performance, Buffy wanted nothing more than to hustle over to his place so she could do all sorts of forbidden things to him. Shifting about in her seat uncomfortably, she was acutely aware of her growing arousal and tried desperately to distract herself from it.

While she told herself that she was probably taking things too fast, somewhere at the back of her mind, she also had a paralyzing fear that he wasn't going to find her attractive once they got past third base. Based on her experience to date, none of her past relationships lasted long after they went all the way. She wasn't sure if it was her or them, and though Spike had proven to be incredibly different than all the other guys she used to date, there was still the possibility that when it really came down to it, he would end up being just another guy who found her unsatisfactory and then history would just repeat itself yet again with things coming to devastating end for her.

"So now that we've established that I'm a man with balls. Balls of steel, might I add. How about we do something that's my kind of fun after we're done here?" He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"And what exactly is your definition of fun?" Buffy asked, trying not to sound anxious as she imagined his concept of fun was to be strapped to a chair buck naked while she cruelly teased him until he begged for mercy.

"Well, you'll have to stay tuned to find out now, won't you?" He tucked his tongue behind his teeth and grinned evilly.

* * *

><p>After driving for an hour, the Sunnydale Martial Arts Academy was the last place on earth Buffy was expecting Spike to take her.<p>

"I didn't even know they were open at this time."

"Normally they don't, but let's just say that I have connections." He winked, while opening the door to the studio for her. To her surprise, he had reserved the entire studio and even got them to leave a set of matching kung fu suits for them to change into.

"Okay, this has got to be the most interesting date I've ever been on." She admitted with a grin as she entered.

Spike watched her look about the studio in wonder. "I heard you took some martial arts classes so I thought this would be rather fun for you."

He was thrilled to see her so excited as she turned to him with those bright eyes sparkling with delight. It seemed like some of the information he'd gotten from Xander was useful after all.

"You can kung fu too?" she asked.

He shrugged, "I was practicing mixed martial arts a couple of years ago, back when I was still livin' in London, so yeah, I guess I can kind of kung fu."

"You're just a box of chocolates, aren't you?"

It was Spike's turn to split into a wide grin at the Forrest Gump reference, "You mean like how I'm full of surprises?"

"Uh huh, I never know what I'm gonna get with you."

"And that's why you're so into me." He leered cheekily.

She quirked one amused eyebrow before answering, "Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that, buddy. Let me know when you're ready to get your butt kicked."

Despite the threat, Spike found her sassiness both attractive and amusing. "Oh ho, isn't someone being rather cocky?"

She shrugged and answered, "It's not cocky if it's true."

* * *

><p>After changing into their matching suits with Buffy in white and Spike in black, both wasted no time in sparring each other.<p>

"Are you ready to dance, luv?" Spike grinned while moving in circles, like a shark swimming around its prey.

She grinned back as she moved in a similar rhythm to his movements, making sure her back never faced him, "Anytime, Blondie. I promise this will only hurt a little."

At the beginning, the sparring was reserved and almost playful as they tested the water, each attempting to gauge the strength and skill of the other. But with each passing minute, they found their exchange escalating into a serious battle as both fought with a variety of technique, strength and cunning.

Spike found himself laughing and cheering her on as they exchanged blows. He was amazed at how such a petite little blonde could move so gracefully and deadly at the same time, and he found himself irresistibly loving the way she had this look of determination set in her expression.

As good as she was, she was lacking the one thing that Spike had in spades. And that was the advantage of experience. Having had a few additional years of training and involving himself in more than a few fights over the last few years, it didn't take very long for him to gain the upper hand. Seizing the opportunity as he blocked her high kick with one arm, he swung out a low kick aimed at her other leg to throw her off balance. Buffy yelped in surprise as she landed flat on her back, staring at Spike in astonishment while he swiftly pinned her to the ground with his own weight.

Both were panting in exhaustion and covered in sweat, but while Spike was grinning triumphantly, Buffy's look of surprise had turned into an angry scowl as he hovered above her.

"Wasn't that just barrels of fun?" he asked, just inches away from her.

"Sure but I think it would've been more fun if I won." She jutted her lower lip out in a sulky pout.

In his captivated state, Spike's brain failed to filter his thoughts and the words left him before he could stop himself, "You're so bloody adorable, you know that?"

The storm in her eyes subsided and she blinked in surprise, suddenly feeling both exhilarated and shy at the same time about their current situation.

They stared at each other for a long moment and just when it looked like he was about to kiss her, Spike pulled away and scrambled to his feet.

He rubbed the back of his head and avoided looking directly into her eyes, "Right, well, there's a shower at the back and once we're cleaned up, I'll take you home okay?"

Without waiting for her to respond, he turned and headed for the men's shower room, leaving her staring after him in confusion. Buffy sat in stunned silence as she tried to process what had transpired in those last few minutes, a mess of conflicting emotions and thoughts running through her. While she should've been glad that nothing happened between them, she also couldn't help but feel a crushing sense of disappointment knowing that nothing did.

* * *

><p>Buffy stared out the window of Spike's DeSoto and wondered where things were going. After what just happened with that almost-kiss between them, she felt like a walking contradiction. She had made a promise that she would never allow herself to fall for someone again after that last disaster involving Parker, and yet here she was, even with all that internal turmoil, she knew that above all, the strongest feeling going through her now resonated with what he had sung earlier. She wanted Spike to <em>want<em> her.

When he chose to walk away from her at the studio earlier, she wasn't sure if it was because he was being a gentleman, or if he was just not as attracted to her as she'd hoped he would be. Whatever it was, that episode seemed to have put an invisible wall between them and she didn't know what she could possibly do or say to make that awkwardness go away.

Gripping the wheel tightly, Spike was torn between wanting her badly and being afraid of hurting her later if he did act on that desire. He also felt like a complete ponce for telling her she was bloody adorable and then avoiding her like the plague. He knew the mixed signals were probably confusing her silly and he felt guilty about that too.

He had second thoughts about going through with the deal, but then, even if he did choose to break the agreement and continue going out with Buffy, logically speaking, it wouldn't make any difference to the situation. Other than the fact that he'd be the only one on the losing end of all this, he imagined that it would be a crying shame to kiss that brand new guitar goodbye, especially now that he was so close to getting it.

With that final consideration, he decided to continue on with the mission. If he could just take things slow with her until after their third date, then they could really start exploring where this relationship could take them without his bleeding conscience eating at him.

"Hey, Spike?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, he gave her a sideway glace, "What is it, pet?"

"Umm, I think we've gone pass my place."

Cursing out loud as he looked at the houses they were driving past, he was shocked to discover that they had actually passed her house a good while ago.

"Oh bollocks, I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay, really. I didn't realize it myself until five seconds ago. Just try not to drive through someone's lawn or fence."

He shot her a death glare and she giggled in response. And just like that, the awkwardness between them subsided.

"I look that distracted, huh."

"More like deep in thought." She offered, pausing for a moment, before asking him, "Were you thinking about what happened earlier when we went all kung fu fighting on each other?"

He was almost too afraid to ask, but curiosity got the better of him, "What makes you say that?"

"Because that's what I've been thinking about," she confessed. "Particularly that, uh, last part, when you said I was adorable."

She couldn't read the expression in his eyes while they were fixed on the road, but she could tell that he was anxious from the way he clenched his jaw and his grip on the steering wheel stiffened as well.

When he didn't reply, she tried again, "So…in the interest of this conversation, do you really think I'm adorable?"

Having reached her house, the car slowed to a stop. Spike took a deep breath before turning to face her, "Yes, Buffy, I do think you are adorable. And on top of that, I also believe that you're a rather extraordinary girl."

Although Buffy wanted to burst into a cheer at that statement, she kept her cool and asked, "Then why were you in such a hurry to scramble out of there after you said that? I mean, not to sound presumptuous but I kind of got the feeling that you _wanted_ to kiss me. Until, like, two seconds later, when you were practically speeding off in the other direction. So I wasn't sure if it was me or..."

"I just don't want to move things too fast between us, pet."

The sudden declaration stopped Buffy in mid-sentence.

He wasn't sure why she was giving him such a look of disbelief, so he hastily added, "Believe it or not, but I'm not actually very good at this whole dating thing, and I just don't want to screw anything up by doing something stupid."

Seeing the look of pleading sincerity on his face, Buffy blew out a sigh of relief, "Oh thank god, for a moment there I thought it was because I had garlic breath or something."

Spike chuckled, "Even then, I would still be tempted to kiss you."

She raised an eyebrow at that, "Really?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings earlier."

"I was more confused than hurt, but at least I understand where you're coming from now."

"Yeah, what with our track records, we just need to thread with a little caution, you know?"

Buffy narrowed her eyes and frowned, "Actually, no, I don't. I wasn't aware that I had a track record. Care to share where that came from?"

Sensing trouble brewing, Spike answered warily, "It's just a figure of speech, is all, nothing to get upset about."

The warmth faded from her eyes and she said in a serious tone, "I find that hard to believe, Spike."

He rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Believe what you will, but it doesn't mean anything, pet."

"Maybe not, but I'd like to know what it is you've heard about me."

Since it was clear that she wasn't going to let this go, Spike tried to answer as honestly as he could without hurting her feelings, "Mind you, not that I believe any of this shite, but some people have told me that you've got a certain reputation for being difficult. Especially so when it comes to guys who like you."

"What?" She glared at him furiously, "Are you saying that I have a rep for being a bitch?"

"Well, obviously I didn't say that, pet. I wouldn't be here if I…"

Interrupting him, she added tersely, "This isn't a joke, Spike. Don't you dare trivialize this."

Spike sighed in frustration, "Buffy, you can't let yourself get affected by such ridiculous rumors. Do you think I give a bloody rat's arse at what other people talk about?"

"No, but I bet you're just another arrogant prick. And I wouldn't put it pass you to turn this into a little game. Just to prove to your pals how it's done and then toss me aside like used goods once you've had your fun."

For a moment, Spike was dumbfounded by her theory. It took him a few seconds to register what she was saying before he barked, "Bloody hell, woman, what on God's green earth are you talking about? That's absolutely a bucket load of bullocks!"

"Save your breath, Spike. It's a stunning performance but I don't buy a second of it."

Before he could respond, she exited his car and headed back into the house. Spike was left staring at the door in shock, as he tried to fathom how this date could have ended up in such a terrible disaster.

"Fuck!" He shouted out after a stunned moment of silence had passed.

No sooner had the word left him than his cell rang. "What?" He answered irately, without looking at the caller ID.

"Funny, that's exactly what I wanted to ask you too. What the heck happened, Spike?"

He groaned at the sound of her voice. The last thing he needed was another Summers getting mad at him. He peered up from the passenger side window and saw Dawn holding the phone to one side of her head. She was staring down at him from the window of her room on the second floor. Even from such a distance, he could see that she was clearly just as confused and worried as he was.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Nibblet. I'm still trying to sort it all out. We were laughing about garlic breath just a minute ago, and then I don't know what happened, but she suddenly goes nuts and starts accusing me of being an arrogant prick."

Dawn sighed, and Spike watched her slap her free hand on her forehead.

"How is she?" Spike asked.

"I'm not sure. I just saw her storm into her room like the Hulk, if you can imagine that. I thought the hinges were going to rip right off the door!"

"Do you think you could go in and talk to her for me?"

"You might as well be asking me if I want to get my head chopped off."

"I'm sure it's not that bad. I mean, I think everything was okay up until that point where I accidentally mentioned something about her reputation of being difficult."

Spike heard her gasp on the other end, "Oh no you didn't."

"I wasn't expecting that she would react so badly to it."

"Yeah, usually she doesn't give a hoot about what other people might say about her, so I'm guessing she really must like you a lot if this pisses her off that much. I'll try and see if I can talk some sense into her tomorrow but no guarantees, okay? My sister's certainly not the most sensible of people I know."

He was grateful that the other Summers sister was still on his side, "Thanks, Dawn. You don't know how much I appreciate that."

"Don't thank me yet. You can do it after she forgives you and says yes to another date."

"Yeah, let's hope so, eh?"

"You betcha." Dawn replied. "For both of our sakes. Otherwise, no more dates for me either."


End file.
